Disc loading device

ABSTRACT

A device has excellent usability and makes it possible to, for example, prevent damage to a disc-shaped recording medium and reliably transport the disc-shaped recording medium. The device includes first transporting means ( 6 ) and second transporting means ( 7 ) disposed on opposite sides of a disc-shaped recording medium ( 200 ) that is being transported for transporting the disc-shaped recording medium by being pushed against the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium from the opposite sides. The first transporting means includes a plurality of feed rollers ( 9 ) which are disposed apart from each other along a transportation path of the disc-shaped recording medium and which transport the disc-shaped recording medium while transferring it by independently and successively rolling on the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a disc loading device. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to the technical field of adisc loading device for transporting and loading a disc-shaped recordingmedium inserted from a disc insertion slot.

BACKGROUND ART

A disc loading device for transporting and loading a disc-shapedrecording medium, such as an optical disc, inserted from a discinsertion slot is provided. In such a disc loading device, aninformation signal is recorded onto or reproduced from the loadeddisc-shaped recording medium.

Examples of methods for loading a disc-shaped recording medium by a discloading device are what are called a tray method and a slot-in method.In the tray method, the disc-shaped recording medium is disposed on adisc tray and loaded. In the slot-in method, the disc-shaped recordingmedium is directly inserted from a disc insertion slot and loadedwithout using the disc tray.

A disc loading device using the tray method loads a disc-shapedrecording medium by disposing the disc-shaped recording medium on a disctray drawn out from a housing and by drawing the disc tray into thehousing.

A disc loading device using the slot-in method loads a disc-shapedrecording medium by nipping the disc-shaped recording medium from thethickness direction thereof by, for example, a pair of rollers that areseparated from each other in the thickness direction of the disc-shapedrecording medium, rotating the pair of rollers, and drawing thedisc-shaped recording medium into the housing. An example of a methodfor loading by a disc loading device is what is called the slot-inmethod for loading a disc-shaped recording medium by directly insertingthe disc-shaped recording medium from a disc insertion slot. In one typeof such a disc loading device using the slot-in method, in atransportation mode, a disc-shaped recording medium inserted from a discinsertion slot is nipped by, for example, a pair of feed rollers,disposed on opposite sides of the disc-shaped recording medium that isbeing transported, from a plane direction thereof and by transportingthe disc-shaped recording medium so that the pair of feed rollers rollon the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium.

In such disc loading devices, in a transportation mode, a transportingmechanism transports the disc-shaped recording medium inserted from thedisc insertion slot to, for example, a recording/reproducing unit inorder to record an information signal onto or reproduce the informationsignal from the disc-shaped recording medium.

In the disc loading device using the tray method, however, since it isnecessary to draw out the disc tray from the housing, dispose thedisc-shaped recording medium on the disc tray, and draw the disc trayinto the housing again, operations of a plurality of stages need to becarried out. Therefore, the disc-shaped recording medium is loaded aftermany operations have been carried out, thereby giving rise to theproblems that the disc loading device is not easy to use and that timeis required to achieve the loading.

In contrast, in the disc loading device using the slot-in method, sincethe disc-shaped recording medium is directly drawn into the housing andloaded, it is possible to increase the usability and reduce the timerequired to achieve the loading.

However, since the pair of rollers nip the disc-shaped recording mediumfrom the thickness direction thereof and draws it into the housing, arecording surface of the disc-shaped recording medium may become damagedby contact between the roller and the recording surface. Therefore, arecording error or a reproducing error of an information signal mayoccur.

Consequently, there is a demand for a disc loading device using theslot-in method, which makes it possible to prevent damage to therecording surface of the disc-shaped recording medium.

A disc loading device may be used as, for example, what is called a discchanger which can accommodate a plurality of disc-shaped recording mediaand which can be used to record an information signal onto and reproduceit from a predetermined one of the accommodated disc-shaped recordingmedia. Such a disc changer comprises a stocker which can separatelyaccommodate the plurality of disc-shaped recording media, in addition toa recording/reproducing unit for recording information signals onto orreproducing them from the disc-shaped recording media.

In the disc changer, it is necessary to transport a disc-shapedrecording medium between the disc insertion slot or therecording/reproducing unit and the stocker in addition to transportingthe disc-shaped recording medium inserted from the disc insertion slotto the recording-and-reproducing unit. Therefore, it is necessary toincrease the length of a transportation stroke of the disc-shapedrecording medium.

Consequently, as mentioned above, in providing a disc loading deviceusing the slot-in method and making it possible to prevent damage to therecording surface of the disc-shaped recording medium, it is necessaryto provide a long transportation stroke and to reliably transport thedisc-shaped recording medium.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a discloading device which can overcome the aforementioned problems in orderto provide excellent usability, to prevent damage to a disc-shapedrecording medium, and to allow a disc-shaped recording medium to bereliably transported, etc.

When a different disc-shaped recording medium is inadvertently insertedfrom the disc insertion slot during, for example, transportation of adisc-shaped recording medium by the transporting mechanism or recordingor reproducing of an information signal, malfunctioning of thetransporting mechanism or interference of the different disc-shapedrecording medium with the disc-shaped recording medium at therecording/reproducing unit may occur.

According, it is another object of the present invention to provide adisc loading device which can overcome this problem in order to preventinadvertent insertion of a disc-shaped recording medium.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In order to overcome the aforementioned problems, the present inventionprovides a disc loading device comprising first and second transportingmeans disposed on opposite sides of a disc-shaped recording medium thatis being transported for transporting the disc-shaped recording mediumby being pushed against the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium from the opposite sides. The first transporting meanscomprises a plurality of feed rollers which are spaced apart from eachother along a transportation path of the disc-shaped recording mediumand which transport the disc-shaped recording medium while transferringit by independently and successively rolling on the outer peripheralsurface of the disc-shaped recording medium.

Therefore, in the disc loading device in accordance with the presentinvention, the disc-shaped recording medium is transported by beingtransferred successively between the rotating feed rollers.

In order to overcome the aforementioned problems, the present inventionalso provides a disc loading device comprising first and secondtransporting means disposed on opposite sides of a disc-shaped recordingmedium that is being transported for transporting the disc-shapedrecording medium by being pushed against the outer peripheral surface ofthe disc-shaped recording medium from the opposite sides, and asupporting chassis that is separated in the thickness direction of thedisc-shaped recording medium that is transported. The first transportingmeans comprises a plurality of feed rollers which are spaced apart fromeach other along a transportation path of the disc-shaped recordingmedium and which transport the disc-shaped recording medium whiletransferring it by independently and successively rolling on the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium. A plurality ofsliders and restricting means are provided. The sliders support theplurality of feed rollers, are movably supported by the supportingchassis, and move the rollers away from the outer peripheral surface ofthe disc-shaped recording medium that is being transported. Therestricting means restricts the movement of the slider which supportsthe feed roller that is disposed closest to the disc insertion slot inan operation mode or modes other than a transportation mode in which thedisc-shaped recording medium is inserted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, together with FIGS. 2 to 6, conceptually shows an embodiment ofthe present invention, and is a plan view of a device for transporting adisc-shaped recording medium through a straight path with feed rollersused in first transporting means and a feed wall used in secondtransporting means.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a device for transporting a disc-shapedrecording medium through a straight path with feed rollers used in firsttransporting means and feed members used in second transporting means.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a device for transporting a disc-shapedrecording medium through a straight path with feed rollers used in firstand second transporting means.

FIG. 4, together with FIGS. 5 and 6, shows a device for transporting adisc-shaped recording medium through a curved path, and is a plan viewof the device having a central angle including an approximately 90degree transportation path.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a device having a central angle including anapproximately 180 degree transportation path.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a device having a central angle including anapproximately 180 degree transportation path and having a disc insertionslot and a disc ejection slot separately disposed.

FIG. 7, together with FIGS. 8 to 99, shows the embodiments of thepresent invention in detail, and is a perspective view of the entiredevice.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the entire device with a supportingchassis being separated from a base chassis.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the supporting chassis.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a disc guide disposed at thesupporting chassis.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the supporting chassis supporting eachpart.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the supporting chassis supporting each part.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear end of thesupporting chassis supporting each part.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view conceptually showing the feedmembers.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged partly exploded perspective view of third slidingmeans and each part supported by the third sliding means.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view showing the relationship betweenthe position of a chucking pulley and that of a detaching member.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the base chassis.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged plan view of a mode producing drive mechanism.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a cam, a Genevadriven gear, and a coupling gear.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged partly exploded perspective view showing therelationship between the positions of a base unit, the cam, and a modeslider.

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of insertion restricting meansand each part for operating the insertion restricting means.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged perspective view of the insertion restrictingmeans.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a subchassis andeach part supported in a recess of the base chassis.

FIG. 25 is a plan view of the mode slider.

FIG. 26 is a partly exploded perspective view showing the relationshipbetween the positions of the base unit, the base chassis, and thesupporting chassis.

FIG. 27 is a plan view of a transportation drive unit and a stockerascending/descending mechanism.

FIG. 28 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the subchassis andan operating lever.

FIG. 29 is an enlarged perspective view of the subchassis and eachrotary mechanism.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged plan view of the subchassis and each rotarymechanism.

FIG. 31 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the subchassis andeach part of each rotary mechanism.

FIG. 32 is a plan view showing the relationship between the positions ofthe subchassis, the mode slider, and each rotary mechanism.

FIG. 33 is an enlarged partly exploded perspective view of a stocker andthe stocker ascending/descending mechanism.

FIG. 34 is an enlarged perspective view of a rotary cam.

FIG. 35 is an enlarged development view of the rotary cam.

FIG. 36 is a front view of the entire device.

FIG. 37 is a conceptual view showing the relationship of force generatedbetween the disc-shaped recording medium and feed rollers and the feedmembers.

FIG. 38, together with FIGS. 39 to 95, illustrates an operation, and isa plan view of a state of a transporting mechanism, etc., in atransportation mode.

FIG. 39 is an enlarged plan view of a state of the mode producing drivemechanism, etc., in the transportation mode.

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of a state of the insertion restrictingmeans in the transportation mode.

FIG. 41 is an enlarged partly sectional front view of a state of thebase unit, etc., in the transportation mode.

FIG. 42 is an enlarged plan view of a state of the mode producing drivemechanism, etc., in an ascending/descending mode.

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of a state of the insertion restrictingmeans in the ascending/descending mode.

FIG. 44 is a conceptual view of a state in which the insertion of thedisc-shaped recording medium is restricted by a restricting pin of theinsertion restricting means.

FIG. 45 is an enlarged sectional view of a state in which the stocker ispositioned at a lower movement end.

FIG. 46 is an enlarged sectional view of a state in which the stocker ispositioned at an upper movement end.

FIG. 47 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is transported and first sliding means is moved.

FIG. 48 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is further transported from the state shown in FIG. 47, andsecond sliding means is moved by the movement of the first slidingmeans.

FIG. 49 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is further transported from the state shown in FIG. 48, and isbrought into contact with a first feed roller, a first feed member, asecond feed roller, and a second feed member.

FIG. 50 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is further transported from the state shown in FIG. 49, and adrive slider and a driven slider of the first sliding means are movedtowards each other.

FIG. 51 is a plan view showing a state in which the disc-shapedrecording medium is further transported from the state shown in FIG. 50,and the third sliding means is moved.

FIG. 52 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is transported from the state shown in FIG. 51, and istransferred from the second feed roller and the second feed member to athird feed roller and a third feed member.

FIG. 53 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is transported from the state shown in FIG. 52 to a reproducingunit.

FIG. 54 is an enlarged plan view of a state of the mode producing drivemechanism, etc., when the mode is being changed from theascending/descending mode to an accommodation/take-out mode.

FIG. 55 is a plan view of a state in which the accommodation/take-outmode is set following the state shown in FIG. 53.

FIG. 56 is an enlarged plan view of a state of the mode producing drivemechanism, etc., when the accommodation/take-out mode is set.

FIG. 57 is a plan view of a state immediately after the disc-shapedrecording medium has been transported towards the stocker from thereproducing unit from the state shown in FIG. 55.

FIG. 58 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is transported towards the stocker from the state shown in FIG.57.

FIG. 59 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is transported towards the stocker following the state shown inFIG. 58.

FIG. 60 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is transported from the state shown in FIG. 59, and movablelevers are rotated away from each other.

FIG. 61 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is transported from the state shown in FIG. 60, and istransferred from a fifth feed roller and a fifth feed member to a sixthfeed roller and a sixth feed member.

FIG. 62 is a perspective view of a state in which the disc-shapedrecording medium is transported while being supported by the disc guide.

FIG. 63 is an enlarged sectional view of a state in which thedisc-shaped recording medium is accommodated in a disc accommodatingportion of the stocker.

FIG. 64 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium is accommodated in the disc accommodating portion of the stockerand is in contact with the sixth feed roller and the sixth feed member.

FIG. 65, together with FIGS. 66 to 71, is a conceptual view illustratingan increase in the efficiency of the transporting operation, and a casein which a feed roller which transfers the disc-shaped recording mediumhas a small diameter.

FIG. 66 is a conceptual view showing a case in which a feed member whichreceives the disc-shaped recording medium has a small diameter.

FIG. 67 is a conceptual view showing a case in which a feed member whichtransfers the disc-shaped recording medium has a large diameter.

FIG. 68 is a conceptual view showing a case in which a feed roller whichreceives the disc-shaped recording medium has a large diameter.

FIG. 69 is a conceptual view showing a case in which the feed rollersare linked by linking means.

FIG. 70, together with FIG. 71, is a conceptual view showing a case inwhich operating members are used, and is a conceptual view of thedisc-shaped recording medium, and the feed member and the feed rollerwhere the respective operating members are disposed.

FIG. 71 is a conceptual view of the transporting operation when theoperating members are used.

FIG. 72 is an enlarged partly sectional front view of a state in whichthe base unit is being rotated.

FIG. 73 is an enlarged partly sectional front view of a state in whichthe disc-shaped recording medium is chucked.

FIG. 74, together with FIGS. 75 and 76, shows a state of each rotarymechanism when the mode slider has been moved, and is an enlarged planview of a state immediately after the mode slider has been moved.

FIG. 75 is an enlarged plan view of a state in which the mode slider isbeing moved from the state shown in FIG. 74.

FIG. 76 is an enlarged plan view of a state in which the mode slider isbeing moved from the state shown in FIG. 75.

FIG. 77 is an enlarged plan view of a state of the mode producing drivemechanism, etc., when the mode slider has been moved to a forwardmovement end.

FIG. 78 is a plan view of a state in which the feed rollers and the feedmembers are separated from the chucked disc-shaped recording medium.

FIG. 79 is an enlarged partly sectional front view of a state in whichthe feed rollers and the feed members are separated from the chuckeddisc-shaped recording medium.

FIG. 80 is an enlarged partly sectional front view of a state in whichthe chucking pulley is forcefully separated from a disc table by thedetaching member when the base unit is rotated.

FIG. 81 is an enlarged sectional view of a state in which thedisc-shaped recording medium is accommodated in a disc accommodatingportion at an accommodation/take-out position.

FIG. 82, together with FIG. 83, shows a state in which disc-shapedrecording media accommodated in disc accommodating portions of thestocker are prevented from falling out of the disc accommodatingportion, and is an enlarged sectional view of a state in which thestocker is positioned at the upward movement end.

FIG. 83 is an enlarged sectional view of a state in which the stocker ispositioned at the lower movement end.

FIG. 84, together with FIG. 85, shows the aligning of the disc-shapedrecording media accommodated in the disc accommodating portions when thestocker is raised and lowered, and is an enlarged side view illustratingthe aligning operation when the stocker is raised.

FIG. 85 is an enlarged side view of the aligning operation when thestocker is lowered.

FIG. 86, together with FIGS. 87 to 95, shows an operation fortransporting a disc-shaped recording medium having a small diameter, andis a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recording medium isbeing transported towards the reproducing unit.

FIG. 87 is a plan view of a state in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium has been transported to the reproducing unit from the state shownin FIG. 86.

FIG. 88 is an enlarged plan view of a state in which the mode slider isbeing moved.

FIG. 89 is a plan view showing a state in which the feed rollers and thefeed members are separated from the chucked disc-shaped recordingmedium.

FIG. 90 is an enlarged partly sectional front view of a state in whichthe feed rollers and the feed members are separated from the chuckeddisc-shaped recording medium.

FIG. 91 is an enlarged perspective view of a disc adapter and thedisc-shaped recording medium.

FIG. 92 is an enlarged partly sectional front view of a state in whichthe disc-shaped recording medium mounted to the disc adapter is chucked.

FIG. 93, together with FIGS. 94 and 95, shows an operation carried outwhen the disc adapter has been dislodged, and is a conceptual view of astate in which the disc adapter is received by a receiving member.

FIG. 94 is a conceptual view of a state in which the outer peripheraledge of the disc adapter is in sliding contact with an inclined portionof the receiving member.

FIG. 95 is a conceptual view of a state in which the disc adapter isre-held.

FIG. 96, together with FIGS. 97 to 99, illustrates the characteristicsof materials of the feed members and the feed rollers, and is a table ofthe resilience of various butyl rubbers.

FIG. 97 shows a graph and a table of the dependency of the hardness ofeach type of material on temperature.

FIG. 98 shows a graph of the dependency of the hardness of each type ofbutyl rubber on temperature.

FIG. 99 is a graph of the dependency of the hardness of various othertypes of butyl rubbers on temperature.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the attached drawings.

In the embodiments described below, the present invention is applied toa disc loading device which can transport a disc-shaped recordingmedium, such as an optical disc, inserted from a disc insertion slot andload the disc-shaped recording medium in order to reproduce aninformation signal from the disc-shaped recording medium.

Although, in the embodiments described below, the present invention isapplied to a device for reproducing an information signal recorded on adisc-shaped recording medium, the present invention may be applied to adevice for recording an information signal onto a disc-shaped recordingmedium or to a device for recording an information signal onto andreproducing the information signal from a disc-shaped recording medium.

The disc loading device described below comprises a stocker which canaccommodate a plurality of disc-shaped recording media, and functions asa disc changer which allows any disc-shaped recording mediumaccommodated in the stocker to be taken out and which can accommodateany disc-shaped medium in the stocker.

The following items of the embodiments of the invention will bedescribed in the following order:

(1) General Description of a Disc Loading Device

(2) Transportation Path of Disc-shaped Recording Medium

(3) Specific Structure of the Disc Loading Device

-   -   (a) General Description of the Entire Structure    -   (b) Supporting Chassis    -   (c) First Sliding Means    -   (d) Second Sliding Means    -   (e) Third Sliding Means    -   (f) Fourth Sliding Means    -   (g) Fifth Sliding Means    -   (h) Movable Lever    -   (i) Chucking Pulley    -   (j) Detaching Member    -   (k) Base Chassis    -   (l) Mode Producing Drive Mechanism    -   (m) Insertion Restricting Means    -   (n) Mode Slider    -   (o) Base Unit    -   (p) Disc Sensor    -   (q) Transportation Drive Unit    -   (r) Sub-chassis    -   (s) Rotary mechanisms    -   (t) Stocker Ascending/Descending Mechanism    -   (u) Stocker    -   (v) Structure of Housing

(4) Operation of the Disc Loading Device

-   -   (a) Transportation Conditions    -   (b) Five Operation Modes    -   (c) Transportation Mode    -   (d) Transporting Operation Between Disc Insertion Slot and        Stocker    -   (e) Reproducing Operation (Large-diameter Disc-shaped Recording        Medium)    -   (f) Exchanging Operation    -   (g) Reproducing Operation (Small-diameter Disc-shaped Recording        Medium)    -   (h) Transporting Operation When Using Disc Adapter

Hereunder, these items will be described.

(1) General Description of the Disc Loading Device

Hereunder, the general description of the disc loading device will begiven (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

A disc loading device 1 (disc loading devices 1A, 1B, and 1C) haspredetermined members and mechanisms disposed in a housing 2. Thehousing 2 has, for example, a shape that is substantially rectangularand that is longer than is wide in plan view (see FIGS. 1 to 3). A discinsertion slot 2 a for inserting a disc-shaped recording medium 200 isformed in the front surface of the housing 2.

In the disc loading device 1, it is possible to reproduce an informationsignal from a large-diameter disc-shaped recording medium 200 a having adiameter of, for example, approximately 12 cm, and from a small-diameterdisc-shaped recording medium 200 b having a diameter of, for example,approximately 8 cm; and to accommodate only a plurality of thelarge-diameter disc-shaped recording media 200 a in a stocker (describedlater).

A reproducing unit 3 for reproducing an information signal from anydisc-shaped recording medium 200, a stocker 4 for accommodating aplurality of the disc-shaped recording media 200, and a transportingmechanism 5 for transporting the disc-shaped recording media 200 aredisposed in the housing 2 so that the stocker 4 is separated from thereproducing unit 3 and the transporting mechanism 5 in theforward/backward direction. In a device for recording an informationsignal onto any disc-shaped recording medium 200, a recording unit isdisposed instead of the reproducing unit 3. In a device for recording aninformation signal onto and reproducing it from any disc-shapedrecording medium 200, a recording-and-reproducing unit is disposedinstead of the reproducing unit 3.

The transporting mechanism 5 comprises first transporting means 6 at theleft end of the housing 2 and second transporting means 7 at the rightend of the housing 2. At least one of the first transporting means 6 andthe second transporting means 7 comprises a plurality of feeding means 8which are substantially cylindrical or columnar and which are spacedfrom each other in transportation directions Y1 and Y2 of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200.

Rotatable feed rollers 9 or unrotatable feed members 10 are used as thefeeding means 8. At least one of the first transporting means 6 and thesecond transporting means 7 comprise the feed rollers 9. As describedlater, the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 are pushed against theouter peripheral surface of a disc-shaped recording medium 200. Whenthey are pushed against the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200, a predetermined friction force is generatedbetween the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 and the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10, so that the feedrollers 9 and the feed members 10 do not slide with respect to the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

FIG. 1 shows the disc loading device 1A comprising the feed rollers 9used in the first transporting means 6 and a feed wall 11 used in thesecond transporting means 7.

The feed rollers 9 are each movable in movement directions X1 and X2that are perpendicular to the transportation directions Y1 and Y2 withrespect to the housing 2. The feed wall 11 is long in the directions Y1and Y2 and is fixed to the housing 2. As with the feed rollers 9 and thefeed members 10, a predetermined friction force is generated between thefeed wall 11 and the outer peripheral surface of a disc-shaped recordingmedium 200, so that sliding does not occur between the feed wall 11 andthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

In the disc loading device 1A shown in FIG. 1, when the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is inserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a, therotating feed rollers 9 move in the direction X1 and successively pushthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 inorder for the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 against which the feed rollers 9 are pushed to be pushedagainst the feed wall 11.

Therefore, while the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is nipped betweenthe feed rollers 9 and the feed wall 11, the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 is transported in the direction Y1 by being successivelytransferred to each feed roller 9 by the rotation of each feed roller 9.The disc-shaped recording medium 200 is transported up to thereproducing unit 3 or the stocker 4 in order to either reproduce aninformation signal or accommodate the disc-shaped recording medium 200in a disc accommodating portion.

While the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is being transported, thefeed rollers 9 move in the directions Xi and X2 so as to be pushedagainst the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 in accordance with a transportation position of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200.

The transportation of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 towards thedisc insertion slot 2 a from the reproducing unit 3 or the stocker 4,that is, the transportation in the direction Y2 is achieved by rotatingthe feed rollers 9 in a direction opposite to that of the aforementionedrotation while the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is nipped by thefeed rollers 9 and the feed wall 11.

FIG. 2 shows the disc loading device 1B comprising the feed rollers 9used in the first transporting means 6 and the feed members 10 used inthe second transporting means 7.

The feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 are movable in synchronism soas to move away from each other in the directions X1 and X2 with respectto the housing 2.

In the disc loading device 1B shown in FIG. 2, when the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is inserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a, therotating feed rollers 9 move in the direction X1 and the feed members 10move in the direction X2 in synchronism therewith in order tosuccessively push the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 from opposite sides.

Therefore, while the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is nipped betweenthe feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10, the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 is transported in the direction Y1 by being successivelytransferred to each feed roller 9 by the rotation of each feed roller 9.

While the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is being transported, thefeed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 move in synchronism in thedirections X1 and X2 so as to be pushed against the outer peripheralsurface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 in accordance with atransportation position of the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

The transportation of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 in thedirection Y2 is achieved by rotating the feed rollers 9 in a directionopposite to that of the aforementioned rotation while the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is nipped by the feed rollers 9 and the feedmembers 10.

In the disc loading device 1B, although the feed rollers 9 and the feedmembers 10 are movable in the directions X1 and X2, only the feedrollers 9 or the feed members 10 may be movable in the directions X1 andX2.

FIG. 3 shows the disc loading device 1C comprising the feed rollers 9used in the first transporting means 6 and the second transporting means7.

The feed rollers 9 used in the first transporting means 6 and the feedrollers 9 used in the second transporting means 7 are movable insynchronism so as to move away from each other in the directions X1 andX2 with respect to the housing 2.

In the disc loading device 1C shown in FIG. 31 when the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is inserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a, therotating feed rollers 9 used in the first transporting means 6 move inthe direction X1 and the rotating feed rollers 9 used in the secondtransporting means 7 move in the direction X2 in order to besuccessively pushed against the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200.

Therefore, while the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is nipped betweenthe feed rollers 9 used in the first transporting means 6 and the feedrollers 9 used in the second transporting means 7, the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is transported in the direction Y1 by beingsuccessively transferred to each feed roller 9 by the rotation of eachfeed roller 9.

While the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is being transported, thefeed rollers 9 used in the first transporting means 6 and the feedrollers 9 used in the second transporting means 7 move in synchronism inthe directions X1 and X2 so as to be pushed against the outer peripheralsurface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 in accordance with atransportation position of the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

The transportation of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 in thedirection Y2 is achieved by rotating the feed rollers 9 in a directionopposite to that of the aforementioned rotation while the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is nipped by the feed rollers 9 used in the firsttransporting means 6 and the feed rollers 9 used in the secondtransporting means 7.

In the disc loading device 1C, although the feed rollers 9 used in thefirst transporting means 6 and the feed rollers 9 used in the secondtransporting means 7 are movable in the directions X1 and X2, only thefeed rollers 9 used in the first transporting means 6 or the feedrollers 9 used in the second transporting means 7 may be movable in thedirections X1 and X2.

As described above, in the disc loading device 1 (disc loading devices1A, 1B, and 1C), since the disc-shaped recording medium 200 istransported by being successively transferred between the rotating feedrollers 9, it is possible to transport the disc-shaped recording medium200 without using means, such as a disc tray, for disposing andtransporting the disc-shaped recording medium 200, so that the usabilitycan be increased.

By disposing the necessary number of feed rollers 9, it is possible tofreely set a transportation stroke, so that design freedom can beincreased. In particular, in the disc loading device which functions asa disc changer having a stocker in addition to a reproducing unit, it isnecessary to transport a disc-shaped recording medium between thereproducing unit and the stocker and to have a long transportationstroke. Therefore, the use of the feed rollers 9 is very effective inincreasing the design freedom.

Since the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is transported by pushing thefeed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 or the feed wall 11 against theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200, it ispossible to prevent damage to a recording surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200.

In the disc loading devices 1B and 1C, the feed rollers 9 and the feedmembers 10 or the feed rollers 9 used in the first transporting means 6and the feed rollers 9 used in the second transporting means 7 aremovable in synchronism -away from the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 being transported. Therefore, it ispossible to stabilize a load applied to the disc-shaped recording medium200 being transported by the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 andto facilitate controlling of the feed operation.

In the disc loading device 1C, since only the rotatable feed rollers 9are used as the feeding means 8, it is possible to stably and reliablytransport the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

(2) Transportation Path of Disc-shaped Recording Medium

Hereunder, a transportation path of the disc-shaped recording medium 200will be described (see FIGS. 4 to 6).

As mentioned above, the transportation path of the disc loading device 1(disc loading devices 1A, 1B, and 1C) is a linear transportation pathextending in the directions Y1 and Y2 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). It is possibleto curve at least a portion of the transportation path by changing thedisposition and forms of the feeding means 8.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are conceptual views of disc loading devices having curvedtransportation paths.

In a disc loading device 1D shown in FIG. 4, feed rollers 9 used infirst transporting means 6 are disposed apart from each other in acircumferential direction, and a feed wall 12 used in secondtransporting means 7 is formed with an arc shape and is disposed alongthe direction of arrangement of the feed rollers 9. The feed rollers 9are disposed apart from each other in a range of a central angle of 90degrees with one corner P1 of a housing 2 serving as a center.Therefore, a transportation path H1 of the disc loading device 1D is anarc-shaped path having a central angle of 90 degrees.

In the disc loading device 1D, when a disc-shaped recording medium 200is inserted from a disc insertion slot 2 a, the rotating feed rollers 9move closer to the disc-shaped recording medium 200 and successivelypush the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 in order to successively push the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 against which the feed rollers 9 arepushed against the feed wall 12.

Therefore, while the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is nipped betweenthe feed rollers 9 and the feed wall 12, the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 is transported through the arc-shaped transportation path H1by being successively transferred to each feed roller 9 by the rotationof each feed roller 9.

In a disc loading device 1E shown in FIG. 5, feed rollers 9 used infirst transporting means 6 are disposed apart from each other in acircumferential direction, and a feed wall 13 used in secondtransporting means 7 is formed with an arc shape and is disposed alongthe direction of arrangement of the feed rollers 9. The feed rollers 9are disposed apart from each other in a range of a central angle of 180degrees with a substantially center point P2 of a housing 2 in thelongitudinal direction serving as a center. Therefore, a transportationpath H2 of the disc loading device 1E is an arc-shaped path having acentral angle of 180 degrees.

In the disc loading device 1E, when a disc-shaped recording medium 200is inserted from a disc insertion slot 2 a, the rotating feed rollers 9move closer to the disc-shaped recording medium 200 and successivelypush the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 in order to push the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 against which the feed rollers 9 are pushed againstthe feed wall 13.

Therefore, while the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is nipped betweenthe feed rollers 9 and the feed wall 13, the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 is transported through the arc-shaped transportation path H2by being successively transferred to each feed roller 9 by the rotationof each feed roller 9.

The structure and the operation of a disc loading device 1F shown inFIG. 6 are the same as those of the disc loading device 1E except that,for example, a disc insertion slot 2 a and a disc take-out slot 2 b areformed apart from each other in a housing 2 in the leftward/rightwarddirection.

In the disc loading device 1F, a transportation path H3 is an arc-shapedpath having a central angle of 180 degrees with a substantially centerpoint P2 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 2 serving as acenter. The disc-shaped recording medium 200 transported by beinginserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a is transported through thetransportation path H3 and removed from the disc take-out slot 2 b. Thepositions of the disc insertion slot 2 a and the disc take-out slot 2 bmay be reversed.

As described above, the curved transportation paths H1, H2, and H3 areformed in the respective disc loading devices 1D, 1E, and 1F, so that itis possible to increase the design freedom.

The feed rollers 9 do not need to be disposed apart from each other inthe aforementioned circumferential direction, so that they may bedisposed in any way. The feed walls 12 and 13 are formed with shapesthat extend along the direction of arrangement of the feed rollers 9.

Therefore, when the positions of the other mechanisms in the housing 2are set, it is possible to set the direction of arrangement of the feedrollers 9 to any direction, so that it is possible to prevent the feedrollers 9 from easily interfering with the other mechanisms that aredisposed in the disc loading devices 1D, 1E, and 1F.

Although the feed walls 12 and 13 are used in the second transportingmeans 7, feed members 10 or feed rollers 9 may be used in the secondtransporting means 7.

(3) Specific Structure of Disc Loading Device

Hereunder, the specific structure of the disc loading device 1 will bedescribed (see FIGS. 7 to 36).

(a) General Description of the Entire Structure

The disc loading device 1 has the predetermined parts and mechanismsdisposed in the housing 2. The housing 2 comprises a supporting chassis14 and a base chassis 15 joined in a vertical direction (see FIGS. 7 and8).

(b) Supporting Chassis

The supporting chassis 14 has a substantially flat shape, and a largesubstantially semicircular cut portion 14 a in the back end (see FIGS. 7to 9). A cut portion 14 b which opens forwardly is formed in the centralportion of the front edge of the supporting chassis 14 in a horizontaldirection.

A plurality of guide holes 16 are spaced apart in a forward/backwarddirection in the central portion of the supporting chassis 14 in thehorizontal direction, and are long in the horizontal direction (see FIG.9). Guide holes 16 are also formed in the back ends of the left andright end portions of the supporting chassis 14.

Left insertion holes 17 are spaced apart in the forward/backwarddirection in the left end side of the supporting chassis 14, and arelong in the horizontal direction. Right insertion holes 18 are spacedapart in the forward/backward direction in the right end side of thesupporting chassis 14, and are long in the horizontal direction.

A circular pulley supporting hole 19 is formed in substantially thecentral portion of the supporting chassis 14. Member disposing holes 20and 20, which are long in the horizontal direction, are formed in thesupporting chassis 14 so as to be disposed in front of and behind thepulley supporting hole 19. An insertion hole 21, which is long sideways,is formed to the right of the pulley supporting hole 19 in thesupporting chassis 14.

Lever disposing holes 22 and 22 are formed in the left end portion andthe right end portion of the back ends of the supporting chassis 14, andhave a gentle short arc shape. Upwardly protruding lever supportingprotrusions 14 c and 14 c are disposed immediately in front of the leverdisposing holes 22 and 22 in the supporting chassis 14.

Upwardly protruding spring holding protrusions 14 d are spaced apart inthe forward/backward direction at the right end locations of the uppersurface of the supporting chassis 14. One spring holding protrusion 14 dis also formed at the left front end side of the chassis 14.

Member supporting protrusions 14 e and 14 e are spaced apart in theforward/backward direction in the upper surface of the supportingchassis 14 so as to be disposed between the pulley supporting hole 19and the insertion hole 21. The member supporting protrusions 14 e and 14e are formed with U shapes so that the open ends oppose each other. Anupwardly protruding insertion shaft 14 f is disposed immediately to theleft of the insertion hole 21 in the supporting chassis 14.

Disc guides 23 and 23 are spaced apart from each other in theforward/backward direction in the lower surface of the supportingchassis 14 (see FIGS. 9 and 10). The disc guides 23 and 23 protrudedownward from the rear end side of the supporting chassis 14. At thedisc guides 23 and 23, vertical portions 23 a and 23 a protrudingdownward from the lower surface of the supporting chassis 14 andreceivers 23 b and 23 b protruding rightwards from the lower ends of thevertical portions 23 a and 23 a are integrally formed (see FIG. 10).

Arc-shaped dislodging preventing portions 14 g and 14 h are disposed atan edge defining the cut portion 14 a of the supporting chassis 14 (seeFIGS. 7, 8, 9, and 13). The dislodging preventing portion 14 g is anarc-shaped wall protruding upward from the edge defining the cut portion14 a, and is disposed at the central portion of the edge in thehorizontal direction thereof. The dislodging preventing portion 14 h isan arc-shaped wall protruding downward from the edge defining the cutportion 14 a, and extends substantially over the entire edge.

(c) First Sliding Means

First sliding means 24 is supported at the front end of the supportingchassis 14 so as to be slidable towards the left and right, andcomprises a drive slider 25 and a driven slider 26 (see FIGS. 11 and12).

The drive slider 25 comprises a main portion 25 a which is long in thesubstantially leftward/rightward direction and a restricting protrusion25 b which protrudes towards the front from the left end of the mainportion 25 a. A downwardly protruding supporting cylindrical portion 25c is disposed at the lower surface of the restricting protrusion 25 b,and a downwardly protruding guide pin 25 d is disposed towards the rightend of the lower surface of the main portion 25 a. A rack 25 e is formedat the front surface of the main portion 25 a. A step 25 f is formed atthe right end of the upper surface of the main portion 25 a. Therefore,the right portion of the upper surface is lower than the left portion ofthe upper surface by the step 25 f.

The supporting cylindrical portion 25 c is inserted in the front leftinsertion hole 17 from thereabove, the guide pin 25 d is inserted in thesecond guide hole 16 from the front from thereabove, and the supportingcylindrical portion 25 c and the guide pin 25 d are guided by theassociated left insertion hole 17 and the associated guide hole 16,respectively, so that the drive slider 25 is slidable towards the leftand right with respect to the supporting chassis 14.

While the drive slider 25 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, aspring (tensile spring) 27 is stretched tightly between the right endportion of the main portion 25 a and the spring holding protrusion 14 ddisposed to the right of the right end. Therefore, the drive slider 25is biased towards the right by the spring 27.

The driven slider 26 comprises a main portion 26 a which is long in thehorizontal direction and a pushing protrusion 26 b protruding backwardsfrom the right end of the main portion 26 a. A downwardly protrudingmounting shaft 26 c is disposed at the right end of the lower surface ofthe main portion 26 a, and a downwardly protruding guide pin 26 d isdisposed towards the left end of the lower surface of the main portion26 a. A rack 26 e is formed at the back surface of the main portion 26a. The left end of the main portion 26 a is formed as a restrictingportion 26 f.

The mounting shaft 26 c is inserted in the front right insertion hole 18from above, the guide pin 26 d is inserted in the front guide hole 16from above, and the mounting shaft 26 c and the guide pin 26 d areguided by the associated right insertion hole 18 and guide hole 16,respectively. Accordingly, the driven slider 26 is slidable towards theleft and right with respect to the supporting chassis 14.

When the driven slider 26 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, afirst feed member 10 a is mounted to the mounting shaft 26 c (see FIG.15). The first feed member 10 a is a flat substantially cylindricalmember, and is disposed below the supporting chassis 14. The first feedmember 10 a has a holding groove 10 b along its circumference, and isfixed to the driven slider 26.

When the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, the pushing protrusion 26 b of the driven slider26 is disposed on the drive slider 25 at the right side of the step 25 fof the drive slider 25.

When the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, a pinion 28 which engages the racks 25 e and 26 eis rotatably supported between the drive slider 25 and the driven slider26 at the supporting chassis 14. Therefore, the drive slider 25 and thedriven slider 26 slide horizontally in synchronism. A leftward biasingforce is applied to the drive slider 26 by the spring 27 through thedrive slider 25 and the pinion 28.

As described above, the spring 27 biases the drive slider 25 rightwardsand the driven slider 26 leftwards. When an external force is notapplied to the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26, the restrictingprotrusion 25 b of the drive slider 25 and the restricting portion 26 fof the driven slider 26 contact each other, thereby restricting therightward movement of the drive slider 25 and the leftward movement ofthe driven slider 26.

When the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26 slide in synchronismaway from each other, it is possible for the supporting cylindricalportion 25 c and the guide pin 25 d of the drive slider 25 to contactthe left edge defining the associated left insertion hole 17 and theleft edge defining the associated guide hole 16, respectively, therebyrestricting the leftward sliding of the drive slider 25; and, at thesame time, the mounting shaft 26 c and the guide pin 26 d of the drivenslider 26 to contact the right edge defining the associated rightinsertion hole 18 and the right edge defining the associated guide hole16, respectively, thereby restricting the rightward sliding of thedriven slider 26.

Although the spring 27 is stretched and compressed when the drive slider25 and the driven slider 26 slide leftwards and rightwards insynchronism, since the spring 27 is disposed to the right of the driveslider 25, it is stretched and compressed in a space in which the driveslider 25 moves.

(d) Second Sliding Means

Second sliding means 29 is supported behind the first sliding means 24at the supporting chassis 14 so as to be slidable leftwards andrightwards, and comprises a drive slider 30 and a driven slider 31 (seeFIGS. 11 and 12).

The drive slider 30 comprises a main portion 30 a which is long in theleftward/rightward direction, a protrusion 30 b which protrudes towardsthe back from substantially the left half of the main portion 30 a, anda restricting protrusion 30 c which protrudes towards the front from theleftward end of the main portion 30 a. Downwardly protruding supportingcylindrical portions 30 d and 30 d are disposed at the left end portionof the lower surface of the protrusion 30 b and at the left end portionof the lower surface of the main portion 30 a so as to be spaced apartfrom each other in the forward/backward direction, and a downwardlyprotruding guide pin 30 e is disposed towards the right end of the lowersurface of the main portion 30 a. A rack 30 f is formed at the frontsurface of the main portion 30 a. The right end portion of the mainportion 30 a is formed as a restricting portion 30 g.

The supporting cylindrical portions 30 d and 30 d are inserted in theassociated left insertion holes 17 and 17 from thereabove, the guide pin30 e is inserted in the associated guide hole 16 from thereabove, andthe supporting cylindrical portions 30 d and 30 d and the guide pin 30 eare guided by the associated left insertion holes 17 and 17 and theassociated guide hole 16, respectively, so that the drive slider 30 isslidable towards the left and right with respect to the supportingchassis 14.

The driven slider 31 comprises a main portion 31 a which is long in thehorizontal direction, a restricting protrusion 31 b which protrudestowards the back from the right end of the main portion 31 a, and a pushprotrusion 31 c protruding forwardly from the upper edge of the rightend of the main portion 31 a. Downwardly protruding mounting shafts 31 dand 31 d are disposed at the right end of the lower surface of the mainportion 31 a and the right end of the lower surface of the restrictingprotrusion 31 b so as to be spaced apart in the forward/backwarddirection, and a downwardly protruding guide pin 31 e is disposedtowards the left end of the lower surface of the main portion 31 a. Arack 31 f is formed at the back surface of the main portion 31 a. Theleft end of the main portion 31 a is formed as a restricting portion 31g.

The mounting shafts 31 d and 31 d are inserted in the associated rightinsertion holes 18 and 18 from thereabove, the guide pin 31 e isinserted in the associated guide hole 16 from thereabove, and themounting shafts 31 d and 31 d and the guide pin 31 e are guided by theassociated right insertion holes 18 and 18 and guide hole 16.Accordingly, the driven slider 31 is slidable horizontally with respectto the supporting chassis 14.

While the driven slider 31 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, aspring (tensile spring) 32 is stretched tightly between a substantiallycentral portion of the main portion 31 a in the horizontal direction anda spring holding protrusion 14 d disposed to the left of thesubstantially central portion. Therefore, the driven slider 31 is biasedtowards the left by a spring 32.

When the driven slider 31 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, asecond feed member 10 c and a third feed member 10 e are mounted to themounting shafts 31 d and 31 d (see FIG. 15). The second feed member 10 cand the third feed member 10 e are substantially cylindrical members,and are disposed below the supporting chassis 14. The second feed member10 c and the third feed member 10 e have holding grooves 10 d and 10 falong their circumferences, and are fixed to the driven slider 31.

When the drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, a pinion 33 which engages the racks 30 f and 31 fis rotatably supported between the drive slider 30 and the driven slider31 at the supporting chassis 14. Therefore, the drive slider 30 and thedriven slider 31 slide horizontally in synchronism. A rightward biasingforce is applied to the drive slider 30 by the spring 32 through thedrive slider 31 and the pinion 33.

As described above, the spring 32 biases the drive slider 30 rightwardsand the driven slider 31 leftwards. When an external force is notapplied to the drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31, the restrictingprotrusion 30 c of the drive slider 30 and the restricting portion 31 gof the driven slider 31 contact each other, and the restricting portion30 g of the drive slider 30 and the restricting protrusion 31 b of thedriven slider 31 contact each other, thereby restricting the rightwardmovement of the drive slider 30 and the leftward movement of the drivenslider 31.

When the drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 slide in synchronismaway from each other, it is possible for the supporting cylindricalportions 30 d and 30 d and the guide pin 30 e of the drive slider 30 tocontact the left edges defining the associated left insertion holes 17and 17 and the left edge defining the associated guide hole 16,respectively, thereby restricting the leftward sliding of the driveslider 30; and, at the same time, the mounting shafts 31 d and 31 d andthe guide pin 31 e of the driven slider 31 to contact the right edgesdefining the associated right insertion holes 18 and 18 and the rightedge defining the associated guide hole 16, respectively, therebyrestricting the rightward sliding of the driven slider 31.

Although the spring 32 is stretched and compressed when the drive slider30 and the driven slider 31 slide leftwards and rightwards insynchronism, since the spring 32 is disposed immediately in front of thedriven slider 31, it is stretched and compressed in a space in which thedriven slider 31 moves.

When the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26 of the first slidingmeans 24 slide in synchronism, and the driven slider 26 moves rightwardsto a predetermined position, the pushing protrusion 26 b of the drivenslider 26 pushes the push protrusion 31 c of the driven slider 31 of thesecond sliding means 29 towards the right. Therefore, the movement ofthe driven slider 26 causes the drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31to slide in synchronism towards the left and right.

(e) Third Sliding Means

Third sliding means 34 is supported behind the pulley supporting hole 19of the supporting chassis 14 so as to be slidable towards the left andright, and comprises a first slider 35 and a second slider 36 (see FIGS.11 and 12).

The first slider 35 comprises a main portion 35 a which is long in thesubstantially leftward/rightward direction and a restricting protrusion35 b which protrudes towards the front from the left end of the mainportion 35 a. A downwardly protruding supporting shaft 35 c is disposedat the lower surface of the restricting protrusion 35 b, and adownwardly protruding guide pin 35 d is disposed towards the right endof the lower surface of the main portion 35 a. A rack 35 e is formed atthe front surface of the main portion 35 a. A step 35 f is formedtowards the right end of the upper surface of the main portion 35 a.Therefore, the right portion of the upper surface is lower than the leftportion of the upper surface by the step 35 f.

The supporting shaft 35 c is inserted in the associated left insertionhole 17 from thereabove, the guide pin 35 d is inserted in theassociated guide hole 16 from thereabove, and the supporting shaft 35 cand the guide pin 35 d are guided by the associated left insertion hole16 and the associated guide hole 16, respectively, so that the firstslider 35 is slidable towards the left and right with respect to thesupporting chassis 14.

A first restricting roller 37 is rotatably supported at the supportingshaft 35 c of the first slider 35 (see FIG. 16).

A receiving member 38 is supported at the supporting shaft 35 c so as tobe disposed under the first restricting roller 37 (see FIG. 16). Thereceiving member 38 has a substantially disc-shaped support portion 38a, a substantially annular inclined portion 38 b formed continuouslywith the outer peripheral edge of the support portion 38 a and extendingdownward as it extends outward from the outer peripheral edge, and areceiving portion 38 c formed continuously with and extending outwardfrom the outer peripheral edge of the inclined portion 38 b. The supportportion 38 a is supported by the supporting shaft 35 c. The right endportion of the receiving portion 38 c protrudes considerably rightwardsthan the other portions thereof. A guide shaft 39 having its upper endmounted to the first slider 35 passes through a portion of the receivingportion 38 c. The receiving member 38 is not capable of rotating withrespect to the first slider 35.

While the first slider 35 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, aspring (tensile spring) 40 is stretched tightly between the right end ofthe main portion 35 a and a spring holding protrusion 14 d disposed tothe right of the right end. Therefore, the drive slider 35 is biasedtowards the right by the spring 40.

The second slider 36 comprises a main portion 36 a which is long in thehorizontal direction, a protrusion 36 b which protrudes forwardly fromthe right end of the main portion 36 a, and a push protrusion 36 cprotruding backwards from the right end of the main portion 36 a. Adownwardly protruding supporting shaft 36 d is disposed at the right endof the lower surface of the protrusion 36 b, and a downwardly protrudingguide pin 36 e is disposed towards the left end of the lower surface ofthe main portion 36 a. A rack 36 f is formed at the back surface of themain portion 36 a. The left end of the main portion 36 a is formed as arestricting portion 36 g.

The supporting shaft 36 d is inserted in the associated right insertionhole 18 from thereabove, the guide pin 36 e is inserted in theassociated guide hole 16 from thereabove, and the supporting shaft 36 dand the guide pin 36 e are guided by the associated right insertion hole18 and guide hole 16. Accordingly, the second slider 36 is slidablehorizontally with respect to the supporting chassis 14.

A second restricting roller 41 is rotatably supported at the supportingshaft 36 d of the second slider 36 (see FIG. 16).

When the first slider 35 and the second slider 36 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, the push protrusion 36 c of the second slider 36is positioned on the upper side of the first slider 35 at the right sideof the step 35 f of the first slider 35.

When the first slider 35 and the second slider 36 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, a pinion 42 which engages the racks 35 e and 36 fis rotatably supported between the first slider 35 and the second slider36 at the supporting chassis 14. Therefore, the first slider 35 and thesecond slider 36 slide horizontally in synchronism. A leftward biasingforce is applied to the second slider 36 by the spring 40 through thefirst slider 35 and the pinion 42.

As described above, the spring 40 biases the first slider 35 rightwardsand the second slider 36 leftwards. When an external force is notapplied to the first slider 35 and the second slider 36, the restrictingprotrusion 35 b of the first slider 35 and the restricting portion 36 gof the second slider 36 contact each other, thereby restricting therightward movement of the first slider 35 and the leftward movement ofthe second slider 36.

When the first slider 35 and the second slider 36 slide in synchronismaway from each other, it is possible for the supporting shaft 35 c andthe guide pin 35 d of the first slider 35 to contact the left edgedefining the associated left insertion hole 17 and the left edgedefining the associated guide hole 16, respectively, thereby restrictingthe leftward sliding of the first slider 35; and, at the same time, thesupporting shaft 36 d and the guide pin 36 e of the second slider 36 tocontact the right edge defining the associated right insertion hole 18and the right edge defining the associated guide hole 16, respectively,thereby restricting the rightward sliding of the second slider 36.

Although the spring 40 is stretched and compressed when the first slider35 and the second slider 36 slide leftwards and rightwards insynchronism, since the spring 40 is disposed to the right of the firstslider 35, it is stretched and compressed in a space in which the firstslider 35 moves.

(f) Fourth Sliding Means

Fourth sliding means 43 is supported behind the third sliding means 34at the supporting chassis 14 so as to be slidable towards the left andright, and comprises a drive slider 44 and a driven slider 45 (see FIGS.11 and 12).

The drive slider 44 comprises a main portion 44 a which is long in theleftward/rightward direction and a restricting protrusion 44 b whichprotrudes towards the front from a location of the main portion 44 aslightly towards the left from the central portion of the main portion44 a in the leftward/rightward direction. A downwardly protrudingsupporting cylindrical portion 44 c is disposed towards the left end ofthe lower surface of the main portion 44 a, and a downwardly protrudingguide pin 44 d is disposed towards the right end of the lower surface ofthe main portion 44 a. A rack 44 e is formed at the front surface of themain portion 44 a.

The supporting cylindrical portion 44 c is inserted in the associatedleft insertion hole 17 from thereabove, the guide pin 44 d is insertedin the associated guide hole 16 from thereabove, and the supportingcylindrical portion 44 c and the guide pin 44 d are guided by theassociated left insertion hole 17 and the associated guide hole 16,respectively, so that the drive slider 44 is slidable towards the leftand right with respect to the supporting chassis 14.

While the drive slider 44 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, aspring (tensile spring) 46 is stretched tightly between the right end ofthe main portion 44 a and a spring holding protrusion 14 d disposed tothe right of the right end. Therefore, the drive slider 44 is biasedtowards the right by the spring 46.

The driven slider 45 comprises a main portion 45 a which is long in thehorizontal direction, a protrusion 45 b which protrudes towards the backfrom the right end of the main portion 45 a, and a pushing protrusion 45c which protrudes forwardly from the right end portion of the mainportion 45 a. A downwardly protruding mounting shaft 45 d is disposed atthe lower surface of the protrusion 45 b, and a downwardly protrudingguide pin 45 e is disposed at the left end of the lower surface of themain portion 45 a. A rack 45 f is formed at the back surface of the mainportion 45 a. The left end of the main portion 45 a is formed as arestricting portion 45 g.

The mounting shaft 45 d is inserted in the associated right insertionhole 18 from thereabove, the guide pin 45 e is inserted in theassociated guide hole 16 from thereabove, and the mounting shaft 45 dand the guide pin 45 e are guided by the associated right insertion hole18 and the associated guide hole 16, respectively, so that the drivenslider 45 is slidable towards the left and right with respect to thesupporting chassis 14.

While the driven slider 45 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, afourth feed member 10 g is mounted to the mounting shaft 45 d (see FIG.15). The fourth feed member 10 g is a substantially cylindrical member,and is disposed below the supporting chassis 14. The fourth feed member10 g has a holding groove 10 h along its circumference, and is fixed tothe driven slider 45.

When the drive slider 44 and the driven slider 45 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, at the right side of a step 35 f of the firstslider 35 of the third sliding means 34, the pushing protrusion 45 c ofthe driven slider 45 is positioned on the upper surface of the firstslider 35 and contacts the push protrusion 36 c of the second slider 36of the third sliding means 34 from the left.

When the drive slider 44 and the driven slider 45 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, a pinion 47 which engages the racks 44 e and 45 fis rotatably supported between the drive slider 44 and the driven slider45 at the supporting chassis 14. Therefore, the drive slider 44 and thedriven slider 45 slide horizontally in synchronism. A leftward biasingforce is applied to the driven slider 45 by the spring 46 through thedrive slider 44 and the pinion 47.

As described above, the spring 46 biases the drive slider 44 rightwardsand the driven slider 45 leftwards. When an external force is notapplied to the drive slider 44 and the driven slider 45, the restrictingprotrusion 44 b of the drive slider 44 and the restricting portion 45 gof the driven slider 45 contact each other, thereby restricting therightward movement of the drive slider 44 and the leftward movement ofthe driven slider 45.

When the drive slider 44 and the driven slider 45 slide in synchronismaway from each other, it is possible for the supporting cylindricalportion 44 c and the guide pin 44 d of the drive slider 44 to contactthe left edge defining the associated left insertion hole 17 and theleft edge defining the associated guide hole 16, respectively, therebyrestricting the leftward sliding of the drive slider 44; and, at thesame time, the mounting shaft 45 d and the guide pin 45 e of the drivenslider 45 to contact the right edge defining the associated rightinsertion hole 18 and the right edge defining the associated guide hole16, respectively, thereby restricting the rightward sliding of thedriven slider 45.

The spring 46 is stretched and compressed when the drive slider 44 andthe driven slider 45 slide leftwards and rightwards in synchronism.Since the spring 46 is disposed to the right of the drive slider 44, itis stretched and compressed in a space in which the drive slider 44moves.

When the drive slider 44 and the driven slider 45 slide in synchronism,the pushing protrusion 45 c of the driven slider 45 pushes the pushprotrusion 36 c of the second slider 36 of the third sliding means 34towards the right. Therefore, the movement of the driven slider 45causes the first slider 35 and the second slider 36 to slide insynchronism towards the left and right.

(g) Fifth Sliding Means

Fifth sliding means 48 is supported behind the fourth sliding means 43at the supporting chassis 14 so as to be slidable leftwards andrightwards, and comprises a drive slider 49 and a driven slider 50 (seeFIGS. 11 and 12).

The drive slider 49 comprises a main portion 49 a which is long in theleftward/rightward direction, a restricting protrusion 49 b whichprotrudes towards the back from the left half of the main portion 49 a,and a protrusion 49 c which protrudes towards the back and obliquelyleftwards from the left end of the restricting protrusion 49 b.Downwardly protruding supporting cylindrical portions 49 d and 49 d aredisposed at the lower surface of the protrusion 49 c so as to be spacedapart from each other in the forward/backward direction. Downwardlyprotruding guide pins 49 e, 49 e, and 49 e are disposed at the lowersurface of the drive slider 49. A rack 49 f is formed at the backsurface of the main portion 49 a.

The supporting cylindrical portions 49 d and 49 d are inserted in theassociated left insertion holes 17 and 17 from thereabove, the guidepins 49 e, 49 e, and 49 e are inserted in the associated guide holes 16,16, and 16 from thereabove, and the supporting cylindrical portions 49 dand 49 d and the guide pins 49 e, 49 e, and 49 e are guided by theassociated left insertion holes 17 and 17 and the associated guide holes16, 16, and 16, respectively, so that the drive slider 49 is slidabletowards the left and right with respect to the supporting chassis 14.

While the drive slider 49 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, aspring (tensile spring) 51 is stretched tightly between the right end ofthe main portion 49 a and a spring holding protrusion 14 d disposed tothe right of the right end. Therefore, the drive slider 49 is biasedtowards the right by the spring 51.

The driven slider 50 comprises a main portion 50 a which is long in thehorizontal direction, and a protrusion 50 b which protrudes towards theback and obliquely rightwards from the right end of the main portion 50a. Downwardly protruding mounting shafts 50 c and 50 c are disposed atthe protrusion 50 b so as to be spaced apart in the forward/backwarddirection. Downwardly protruding guide pins 50 d, 50 d, and 50 d aredisposed at the lower surface of the driven slider 50. A rack 50 e isformed at the front surface of the main portion 50 a. The left end ofthe main portion 50 a is formed as a restricting portion 50 f.

The mounting shafts 50 c and 50 c are inserted in the associated rightinsertion holes 18 and 18 from thereabove, the guide pins 50 d, 50 d,and 50 d are inserted in the associated guide holes 16, 16, and 16 fromthereabove, and the mounting shafts 50 c and 50 c and the guide pins 50d, 50 d, and 50 d are guided by the associated right insertion holes 18and 18 and guide holes 16, 16, and 16. Accordingly, the driven slider 50is slidable horizontally with respect to the supporting chassis 14.

When the driven slider 50 is supported by the supporting chassis 14, afifth feed member 10 i and a sixth feed member 10 k are mounted to themounting shafts 50 c and 50 c (see FIG. 15). The fifth feed member 10 iand the sixth feed member 10 k are substantially cylindrical members,and are disposed below the supporting chassis 14. The fifth feed member10 i and the sixth feed member 10 k have holding grooves 10 j and 10 lalong their circumferences, and are fixed to the driven slider 50.

When the drive slider 49 and the driven slider 50 are supported by thesupporting chassis 14, a pinion 52 which engages the racks 49 f and 50 eis rotatably supported between the drive slider 49 and the driven slider50 at the supporting chassis 14. Therefore, the drive slider 49 and thedriven slider 50 slide horizontally in synchronism. A leftward biasingforce is applied to the driven slider 50 by the spring 51 through thedrive slider 49 and the pinion 52.

As described above, the spring 51 biases the drive slider 49 rightwardsand the driven slider 50 leftwards. When an external force is notapplied to the drive slider 49 and the driven slider 50, the restrictingprotrusion 49 b of the drive slider 49 and the restricting portion 50 fof the driven slider 50 contact each other, thereby restricting therightward movement of the drive slider 49 and the leftward movement ofthe driven slider 50.

When the drive slider 49 and the driven slider 50 slide in synchronismaway from each other, it is possible for the supporting cylindricalportions 49 d and 49 d and the guide pins 49 e, 49 e, and 49 e of thedrive slider 49 to contact the left edges defining the associated leftinsertion holes 17 and 17 and the left edges defining the associatedguide holes 16, 16, and 16, respectively, thereby restricting theleftward sliding of the drive slider 49; and, at the same time, themounting shafts 50 c and 50 c and the guide pins 50 d, 50 d, and 50 d ofthe driven slider 50 to contact the right edges defining the associatedright insertion holes 18 and 18 and the right edges defining theassociated guide holes 16, 16, and 16, respectively, thereby restrictingthe rightward sliding of the driven slider 50.

The spring 51 is stretched and compressed when the drive slider 49 andthe driven slider 50 slide leftwards and rightwards in synchronism.Since the spring 51 is disposed to the right of the drive slider 49, itis stretched and compressed in a space in which the drive slider 49moves.

For example, annular rubber members (not shown) are mounted to theholding grooves 10 b, 10 d, 10 f, 10 h, 10 j, and 10 l of the respectivefeed members 10 a, 10 c, 10 e, 10 g, 10 i, and 10 k. When they arepushed against the outer peripheral surface of a disc-shaped recordingmedium 200, a predetermined friction force is generated in order toprevent the feed members from sliding with respect to the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

The first restricting roller 37 and the second restricting roller 41 areformed of, for example, resinous material having good slidability, androtate while sliding with respect to the outer peripheral surface of adisc-shaped recording medium 200.

The second transporting means 7 comprises the feed members 10 a, 10 c,10 e, 10 g, 10 i, and 10 k.

As described above, in the disc loading device 1, since the slidingmeans 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48 are all supported by the supporting chassis14, it is possible to dispose the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48with high precision by forming the supporting chassis 14 with highmanufacturing precision.

Since the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48 are all movably supportedby the supporting chassis 14, the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48all move with respect to the supporting chassis 14, so that it ispossible to easily control operations between the sliding means 24, 29,34, 43, and 48.

Since the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48 are all mounted to thesupporting chassis 14, it is possible to easily manufacture the discloading device 1 with increased mounting efficiency.

As described above, in the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48, thedrive slider 25 and the driven slider 26, the drive slider 30 and thedriven slider 31, the first slider 35 and the second slider 36, thedrive slider 44 and the driven slider 45, and the drive slider 49 andthe driven slider 50 are such that their movements towards each otherare restricted by contacting at least a portion of one slider with aportion of the other slider. Therefore, it is not necessary to use anystopper designed specifically for restricting the movements.Consequently, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and simplifythe mechanisms.

In addition, in the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48, the driveslider 25 and the driven slider 26, the drive slider 30 and the drivenslider 31, the first slider 35 and the second slider 36, the driveslider 44 and the driven slider 45, and the drive slider 49 and thedriven slider 50 are such that their movements away from each other arerestricted by contacting the supporting cylindrical portions 25 c, 30 d,30 d, 44 c, 49 d, and 49 d, the supporting shafts 35 c and 36 d, and theguide pins 25 d, 26 d, 30 e, 31 e, 35 d, 36 e, 44 d, 45 e, 49 e, 49 e,49 e, 50 d, 50 d, and 50 d with the edges defining the associated leftinsertion holes 17, the edges defining the associated right insertionholes 18, and the edges defining the associated guide holes 16 of thesupporting chassis 14. Therefore, it is not necessary to use any stopperdesigned specifically for restricting the movements, so that the numberof parts is reduced and the mechanisms are simplified.

Although the example in which the tensile springs 27, 32, 40, 46, and 51are used as means for biasing the sliders 25 and 26 of the sliding means24, the sliders 30 and 31 of the sliding means 29, the sliders 35 and 36of the sliding means 34, the sliders 44 and 45 of the sliding means 43,and the sliders 49 and 50 of the sliding means 48 in predetermineddirections is given, the biasing means are not limited to the springs27, 32, 40, 46, and 51. Therefore, other members, such as rubbermembers, having predetermined elasticities may be used.

Although the example in which the pinions 28, 33, 42, 47, and 52 areused to move the sliders 25 and 26, the sliders 30 and 31, the sliders35 and 36, the sliders 44 and 45, and the sliders 49 and 50 is given,the means for moving the sliders in synchronism are not limited to thepinions 28, 33, 42, 47, and 52. Therefore, predetermined members, suchas links or levers, may also be used.

(h) Movable Levers

Movable levers 53 and 53 are rotatably disposed at the respective leversupporting protrusions 14 c and 14 c disposed towards the back end ofthe supporting chassis 14 (see FIGS. 12 and 14). In the movable levers53 and 53, support portions 53 a and 53 a and shafts 53 b and 53 bprotruding downward from ends of the respective support portions 53 aand 53 a are integrally formed. The other ends of the support portions53 a and 53 a of the respective movable levers 53 and 53 are rotatablysupported by the respective lever supporting protrusions 14 c and 14 c,and the shafts 53 b and 53 b protrude downward from the lever disposingholes 22 and 22 of the supporting shaft 14.

The movable levers 53 and 53 are biased by respective torsional coilsprings 54 and 54 so that the shafts 53 b and 53 b move closer to eachother. The rotation of the shafts 53 b and 53 b closer to each other isrestricted by the shafts 53 b and 53 b coming into contact with edges ofthe respective lever disposing holes 22 and 22.

Stoppers 55 and 55 are rotatably supported at the shafts 53 b and 53 bof the respective movable levers 53 and 53 (see FIGS. 12 to 14). Thestoppers 55 and 55 are formed of a material having good slidability andhave a substantially cylindrical shape. Each of the stoppers 55 and 55has inclined guides 55 b and 55 c formed on the upper and lower edges ofa peripheral surface 55 a so as to incline towards the center as theynear the upper and lower portions, respectively.

(i) Chucking Pulley

A chucking pulley 56 is supported by the pulley supporting hole 19 inthe supporting chassis 14 so as to be rotatable and movable vertically(see FIG. 11).

In the chucking pulley 56, a substantially disc-shaped flange 56 a andstabilizer 56 b are connected vertically by a connecting shaft 56 c (seeFIG. 17). The diameter of the flange 56 a is smaller than the diameterof the stabilizer 56 b and is larger than the diameter of the connectingshaft 56 c and the diameter of the pulley supporting hole 19 of thesupporting chassis 14. The connecting shaft 56 c has an insertion recess56 d formed in the lower surface thereof. A magnetic metallic plate (notshown) is mounted to the inner portion of the chucking pulley 56.

The chucking pulley 56 is supported by the supporting chassis 14 byinserting the connecting shaft 56 c in the pulley supporting hole 19.The flange 56 a is disposed at the upper surface of the supportingchassis 14, and the stabilizer 56 b is disposed at the lower surface ofthe supporting chassis 14.

(j) Detaching Member

A detaching member 57 is rotatably supported by the member supportingprotrusions 14 e and 14 e of the supporting chassis 14 (see FIG. 11). Inthe detaching member 57, a base 58, lifting portions 59 and 59protruding leftwards from the front and back ends of the base 58, and anoperation portion 60 protruding rightwards from the central portion ofthe base 58 in the forward/backward direction are integrally formed (seeFIG. 17). Support pins 60 a and 60 a protruding towards the front andback, respectively, are formed at leftward locations of the operationportion 60. An opening 60 b is formed in the operation portion 60.

In the detaching member 57, the support pins 60 a and 60 a are insertedand supported inside the member supporting protrusions 14 e and 14 e,and the hole 60 b receives the insertion shaft 14 f of the supportingchassis 14.

When the detaching member 57 is rotatably supported by the supportingchassis 14, the right end of the operation portion 60 is disposed abovethe insertion hole 21 of the supporting chassis 14, and the liftingportions 59 and 59 are inserted under the flange 56 a of the chuckingpulley 56 and are positioned in correspondence with the member disposingholes 20 and 20 in the supporting chassis 14. Therefore, when thedetaching member 57 is rotated in the direction in which the liftingmembers 59 and 59 move upward, the flange 56 a is lifted by the liftingmembers 59 and 59, causing the chucking pulley 56 to move upward.

(k) Base Chassis

The base chassis 15 has a substantially rectangular shape that is longerthan is wide in plan view, and has motor mounting portions 15 a, 15 b,and 15 c at the front end, the central portion in the forward/backwarddirection, and the back end, respectively (see FIG. 18). The motormounting portions 15 a, 15 b, and 15 c have respective shaft mountingholes.

A clearance recess 15 d extending forwardly and upwardly is formed inthe central portion in the horizontal direction of the front end of thebase chassis 15. A pin insertion hole 15 e extending vertically isformed in the clearance recess 15 d. A light transmission hole 15 f isformed in the base chassis 15 so as to be immediately behind the pininsertion hole 15 e.

A large pickup disposing hole 15 g is formed in the front half portionof the base chassis 15. A lever insertion hole 15 h is formed to theright of the pickup disposing hole 15 g.

A disposing recess 15 i, which is longer than is wide and opens upward,is formed in the left end of the front half portion of the base chassis15. Four supporting shafts 15 j which are spaced apart in substantiallythe forward/backward direction are formed in the bottom surface of thedisposing recess 15 i. A gear supporting shaft 15 k is formed betweenthe middle supporting shafts 15 j and 15 j. Pin supporting holes 15 l,15 l, and 15 l, which are long in the forward/backward direction, areformed in predetermined locations of the bottom surface of the disposingrecess 15 i.

A guide slit 15 m, which is long in the horizontal direction, is formedin front of the disposing recess 15 i in the base chassis 15.

Gear disposing holes 15 n and 15 o, which are spaced from each other inthe forward/backward direction, are formed in the central portion in thehorizontal direction of the back half of the base chassis 15.

Guide shafts 15 p and 15 p are formed towards the back end of the basechassis 15 so as to protrude upward from the left and right ends of thebase chassis 15.

A spring supporting protrusion 15 q is formed in the base chassis 15 soas to be disposed in front of the left guide shaft 15 p. A guide hole 15r, which is long in the horizontal direction, is formed in front of thespring supporting protrusion 15 q.

Shaft bearing portions 15 s and 15 s are formed in the right end of thelower surface of the base chassis 15 so as to be spaced apart in theforward/backward direction, and have U shapes whose open sides face eachother.

Disc guides 15 t and 15 t, which are spaced apart in theforward/backward direction and which protrude upward, are formed towardsthe right end of the upper surface of the base chassis 15 so as to bedisposed behind the pickup disposing hole 15 g.

An arc-shaped dislodging preventing portion 15 u is formed in the basechassis 15 so as to be disposed immediately behind the pickup disposinghole 15 g, and comprises an upwardly protruding wall. The base chassis15 has an arc-shaped surface which is formed continuously with the lowerside of the dislodging preventing portion 15 u and faces backwards. Thissurface is formed as a dislodging preventing portion 15 v.

(1) Mode Producing Drive Mechanism

A mode producing drive mechanism for producing five operation modes(described later) is disposed at the lower surface of the base chassis15, and operates by drive force of a mode motor 61.

The mode motor 61 is mounted to the motor mounting portion 15 a of thebase chassis 15 (see FIG. 8). The shaft of the mode motor 61 protrudesdownward from a shaft insertion hole. A small pulley 62 is secured tothe shaft of the mode motor 61 (see FIG. 19).

A pulley gear 63 is supported at the lower surface of the base chassis15, and comprise a pulley portion 63 a and a geared portion 63 b, whichare coaxially integrally formed (see FIG. 19). A transmission belt 64 iswound between the pulley portion 63 a and the small pulley 62.

A gear group 65 is supported at the front end of the lower surface ofthe base chassis 15, and comprises a plurality of step gears 65 afunctioning as reduction gears and one connecting gear 65 b (see FIG.19). The rightmost step gear 65 a engages the geared portion 63 b of thepulley gear 63. The leftmost step gear 65 a engages the connecting gear65 b.

One step gear 65 a of the gear group 65 engages a geared portion 66 a ofa rotary encoder 66 supported at the lower surface of the base chassis15 (see FIG. 19). The rotary encoder 66 detects the amount of rotationof the mode motor 61 from its amount of rotation. Therefore, therotation of the mode motor 61 is controlled based on the detection ofthe amount of rotation of the mode motor 61 by the rotary encoder 66 inorder to set each operation mode described below.

A cam 67 is rotatably supported at the front end of the lower surface ofthe base chassis 15 (see FIG. 19).

The cam 67 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a gearedportion 67 a formed at the upper end thereof (see FIGS. 20 to 22).Operating pins 67 b and 67 b protrude downward from the lower surface ofthe cam 67, and are disposed on opposite sides of the cam 67 serving asa center so as to be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other at theouter peripheral edge of the lower surface of the cam 67. Arc-shapedribs 67 c and 67 c are formed at the lower surface of the cam 67 withthe rotary shaft of the cam 67 serving as a center. The ribs 67 c and 67c are disposed on opposite sides of the rotary shaft of the cam 67serving as a center and between the-operating pins 67 b and 67 b so asto be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other.

A groove 68 is formed in the peripheral surface of the cam 67, andcomprises a lower horizontal portion 68 a, an inclined portion 68 b, andan upper horizontal portion 68 c. The lower horizontal portion 68 a islong in a peripheral direction. The inclined portion 68 b is formedcontinuously with the lower horizontal portion 68 a and inclines upwardas it extends away from the lower horizontal portion 68 a. The upperhorizontal portion 68 c is formed continuously with the inclined portion68 b and is long in the peripheral direction.

The geared portion 67 a of the cam 67 engages the connecting gear 65 bof the gear group 65 (see FIG. 19).

A Geneva driven gear 69 is rotatably supported at a location near thecam 67 of the lower surface of the base chassis 15 (see FIGS. 19 to 21).In the Geneva driven gear 69, an upwardly disposed cam 70 and a gear 71disposed under the cam 70 are integrally formed (see FIGS. 19 and 20).

The cam 70 is substantially disc-shaped, and has arc-shaped walls 70 a,70 b, and 70 c at the upper surface thereof. Both ends of the walls 70a, 70 b, and 70 c are continuously formed with the outer peripheral edgeof the cam 70, and their central portions are disposed closest to thecenter of the cam 70. The walls 70 a, 70 b, and 70 c are spaced at anequal interval from each other in the peripheral direction of the cam70. Operation grooves 70 d and 70 e are formed between adjacent walls 70a, 70 b and 70 c, have linear forms that extend in radial directions ofthe cam 67 and that are perpendicular to each other, and open in theperipheral directions of the cam 70.

When the cam 67 is rotated, one of the ribs 67 c slides along the innerside of any one of the walls 70 a, 70 b, and 70 c of the Geneva drivengear 69. At this time, the Geneva driven gear 69 does not rotate. Next,one of the operating pins 67 b is inserted into either one of theoperation grooves 70 d and 70 e of the Geneva driven gear 69. When oneof the operating pins 67 b is inserted into either one of the operationgrooves 70 d and 70 e, the rotation of the cam 67 causes the operatingpin 67 b to push a wall defining either one of the operation grooves 70d and 70 e in order to rotate the Geneva driven gear 69. At this time,the operating pin 67 b reciprocates in either the operation groove 70 dor the operation groove 70 e, causing the Geneva driven gear 69 torotate through an angle of 90 degrees.

The Geneva driven gear 69 does not rotate when the rib 67 c slides alongthe inner side of any one of the walls 70 a, 70 b, and 70 c, whereas itrotates intermittently through an angle of 90 degrees each time by therotation of the cam 67 when either one of the operating pins 67 b and 67b is inserted into either one of the operation grooves 70 d and 70 e.

A connecting gear 72 is supported at the lower surface of the basechassis 15, and engages the geared portion 71 of the Geneva gear 69 (seeFIGS. 19 and 20).

When the mode motor 61 rotates, its driving force is transmitted to thecam 67 via the small pulley 62, the transmission belt 64, the pulleygear 63, and the gear group 65. This causes the cam 67 to rotate in adirection corresponding to the direction of rotation of the mode motor61. When the cam 67 rotates, as described above, the Geneva driven gear69 is intermittently rotated. The rotation of the Geneva driven gear 69causes the connecting gear 72 to rotate.

A two-speed gear 73 is supported at the front end of the lower surfaceof the base chassis 15, and has a large-diameter portion 73 a and asmall-diameter portion 73 b, which are coaxially formed (see FIGS. 19and 22). The large-diameter portion 73 a of the two-speed gear 73engages the geared portion 67 a of the cam 67.

An operating gear 74 is supported at the front end of the lower surfaceof the base chassis 15 (see FIGS. 19 and 22). The operating gear 74 hasa geared portion 74 a along its peripheral surface and a restrictingwall 75 extending in the peripheral direction at the upper surfacethereof. An insertion cut portion 75 a is formed between both edges ofthe restricting wall 75 in the peripheral direction. A downwardlyprotruding pushing pin 76 is formed at the outer peripheral edge of thelower surface of the operating gear 74, and is disposed directly belowthe insertion cut portion 75 a.

The geared portion 74 a of the operating gear 74 engages thesmall-diameter portion 73 b of the two-speed gear 73, and is rotated bythe rotation of the cam 67 through the two-speed gear 73.

(m) Insertion Restricting Means

Insertion restricting means 77 is disposed at the front end of the lowersurface of the base chassis 15 (see FIGS. 22 and 23). The insertionrestricting means 77 comprises a holding member 78, a restricting lever79, and an operating lever 80.

The holding member 78 comprises a holding portion 81, which is long inthe horizontal direction, a connecting portion 82, which protrudesupwards from a leftward position of the holding portion 81, and asupporting protrusion 83, which protrudes backwards from the upper endof the connecting portion 82. A holding recess 81 a is formed in theleft end of the holding portion 81 so as to open upward. A supportinggroove 83 a is formed in the front end of the supporting protrusion 83so as to be long sideways and to open downwards.

The holding member 78 is mounted to the lower surface of the basechassis 15 so that the holding portion 81 is disposed along the frontsurface of the base chassis 15.

In the restricting lever 79, a main portion 84, which has a shape thatis long sideways, and a support shaft 85, which is disposed at the rightend of the main portion 84 and which is long sideways, are integrallyformed. Engaging protrusions 84 a and 84 a, which protrude substantiallyforwardly, are disposed towards the right end of the main portion 84,and are slightly spaced from each other in the horizontal direction. Apush pin 84 b, which protrudes substantially downward, is formed at theleft end of the main portion 84 a.

In the restricting lever 79, the support shaft 85 is inserted in andsupported at the supporting groove 83 a of the holding member 78, theengaging protrusions 84 a and 84 a move substantially vertically withrespect to the holding member 78, and the push pin 84 b is rotatable ina substantially forward/backward direction of movement.

In the operating lever 80, a support cylindrical portion 86 which has anaxial direction corresponding to the vertical direction and a leverprotrusion 87 which is long in the substantially horizontal directionand which protrudes substantially rightwards from the supportcylindrical portion 86, are integrally formed. A push protrusion 87 a isdisposed at a location towards the left end of the lever protrusion 87so as to protrude upwards.

In the operating lever 80, the support cylindrical portion 86 issupported at a location towards the left end of the lower surface of thebase chassis 15. An end of the lever protrusion 87 is rotatable in thesubstantially forward/backward direction of movement.

When the restricting lever 79 and the operating lever 80 are supportedas described above, the push pin 84 b of the restricting lever 79 isdisposed close to or in contact with the back side of an end of thelever protrusion 87 of the operating lever 80 (see FIG. 23). In theoperating lever 80, the push protrusion 87 a is disposed close to or incontact with the back side of the push pin 76 of the operating gear 74(see FIG. 23).

A compression spring 88 is inserted in and held at the holding recess 81a of the holding member 78 (see FIGS. 22 and 23).

When the compression spring 88 is held at the holding recess 81 a, arestricting pin 89 is inserted in the holding recess 81 a (FIGS. 22 and23). A stopper ring 90 is secured to substantially the central portionof the restricting pin 89 in the axial direction thereof. Therestricting pin 89 is inserted in the holding recess 81 a so that itslower portion extending from the stopper ring 90 is disposed in thecompression spring 88. When it is inserted in the holding recess 81 a,the restricting pin 89 is biased upwards by the compression spring 88being in elastic contact with the stopper ring 90 from therebelow.

When the compression spring 88 and the restricting pin 89 are insertedin the holding recess 81 a of the holding member 78, the portion of therestricting pin 89 extending above the stopper ring 90 is insertedbetween the engaging protrusions 84 a and 84 a of the restricting lever79. Therefore, the engaging protrusions 84 a and 84 a engage the stopperring 90 from thereabove, and restrict the upward movement of therestricting pin 89.

The portion of the restricting pin 89 protruding upward from the holdingrecess 81 a is inserted into the pin insertion hole 15 e formed in thefront end of the base chassis 15 from therebelow, so that at least theupper side of the restricting pin 89 protrudes upward from the pininsertion hole 15 e.

As described above, when the operating gear 74 is rotated by therotation of the cam 67 by the mode motor 61, causing the pushing pin 76to move closer to the push protrusion 87 a of the operating lever 80,the push protrusion 87 a is pushed backwards by the push pin 76. Whenthe push protrusion 87 a is pushed backwards by the pushing pin 76, theoperating lever 80 rotates, causing the push pin 84 b of the restrictinglever 79 to be pushed backwards by the lever protrusion 87. When thepush pin 84 b is pushed backwards, the restricting lever 79 is rotated,so that the engaging protrusions 84 a and 84 a push the stopper ring 90downwards, causing the restricting pin 89 to move downward against thebiasing force of the compression spring 88.

In contrast, when the operating gear 74 is rotated in the direction inwhich the push pin 76 moves away from the push protrusion 87 a of theoperating lever 80, the pushing operation performed by the pushing pin76 with respect to the push protrusion 87 a and the pushing operationperformed by the lever protrusion 87 with respect to the push pin 84 bare cancelled. Therefore, the restricting pin 89 moves upward by theelastic force of the compression spring 88, so that the restrictinglever 79 rotates in the direction in which the engaging protrusions 84 aand 84 a move substantially upwards.

(n) Mode Slider

A mode slider 91 is disposed in the disposing recess 15 i of the basechassis 15 so as to be movable in the forward/backward direction (seeFIG. 24).

The mode slider 91 has a shape that is longer than is wide, and eachpart is integrally formed with a flat principal portion 92 (see FIGS.21, 24, and 25). In the principal portion 92, the width of a front halfportion 92 a is slightly larger than the width of a back half portion 92b in the horizontal direction, with the right end portion of the fronthalf portion 92 a extending further rightward than the back half portion92 b. A clearance opening 92 c, which is long in the forward/backwarddirection, is formed in the principal portion 92.

A rack 93 is formed in the front half portion 92 a of the principalportion 92 so as to extend in the forward/backward direction at alocation towards the right end of the lower surface of the front halfportion 92 a. The teeth of the rack 93 face rightwards. Downwardlyprotruding guide shafts 94, 94, and 94 are disposed at respectivepredetermined locations of the lower surface of the principal portion92.

Rightward protruding supporting protrusions 95 and 95 are disposed atthe right edge of the front half portion 92 a of the principal portion92 so as to be vertically spaced from each other.

A first cam wall 96 is disposed at the leftward position of the forwardend portion of the upper surface of the front half portion 92 a. Thefirst cam wall 96 has an inclined portion 96 a inclining leftwards as itextends backwards and a linear portion 96 b formed continuously with theback end of the inclined portion 96 a and extending forwards andbackwards. The inclined portion 96 a has three substantially equallydivided and smoothly curved portions in the forward/backward direction,that is, a front portion 96 c, an intermediate portion 96 d, and a backportion 96 e (see the enlarged view of FIG. 25). The front portion 96 cis formed so that its inclination angle becomes smaller as it extendsbackwards. The intermediate portion 96 d is formed so that itsinclination angle provides a gentle incline. The back portion 96 e isformed so that its inclination angle becomes larger as it extendsbackwards.

At the back end portion of the upper surface of the front half portion92 a, a second cam wall 97 is disposed to the right of the first camwall 96. The second cam wall 97 has an inclined portion 97 a incliningleftwards as it extends backwards and a linear portion 97 b formedcontinuously with the back end of the inclined portion 97 a andextending in the forward/backward direction. Similarly to the inclinedportion 96 a of the first cam wall 96, the inclined portion 97 a hassmoothly curved portions, that is a front portion 97 c, an intermediateportion 97 d, and a back portion 97 e. The front portion 97 c is formedso that its inclination angle becomes smaller as it extends backwards.The intermediate portion 97 d is formed so that its inclination angleprovides a gentle incline. The back portion 97 e is formed so that itsinclination angle becomes larger as it extends backwards (see theenlarged view of FIG. 25).

At the back end portion of the upper surface of the front half portion92 a, a third cam wall 98 is disposed behind the first cam wall 96. Thethird cam wall 98 has an inclined portion 98 a inclining leftwards as itextends backwards and a linear portion 98 b formed continuously with theback end of the inclined portion 98 a and extending in theforward/backward direction. Similarly to the inclined portion 96 a ofthe first cam wall 96, the inclined portion 98 a has smoothly curvedportions, that is, a front portion 98 c, an intermediate portion 98 b,and a back portion 98 e. The front portion 98 c is formed so that itsinclination angle becomes smaller as it extends backwards. Theintermediate portion 98 d is formed so that its inclination angleprovides a gentle incline. The back portion 98 e is formed so that itsinclination angle becomes larger as it extends backwards (see theenlarged view of FIG. 25).

At the upper surface of the back half portion 92 b of the principalportion 92, a fourth cam wall 99 is disposed behind the third cam wall98. The fourth cam wall 99 has a front linear portion 99 a extending inthe forward/backward direction, a front inclined portion 99 b formedcontinuously with the back end of the front linear portion 99 a andinclining rightwards as it extends backwards, an intermediate linearportion 99 c formed continuously with the back end of the front inclinedportion 99 b and extending in the forward/backward direction, a backinclined portion 99 d formed continuously with the back end of theintermediate linear portion 99 c and inclining leftwards as it extendsbackwards, and a back linear portion 99 e formed continuously with theback end of the back inclined portion 99 d and extending in theforward/backward direction (see the enlarged view of FIG. 25).

The front inclined portion 99 b of the fourth cam wall 99 has threesubstantially equally divided and smoothly curved portions in theforward/backward direction, that is, a front portion 99 f, anintermediate portion 99 g, and a back portion 99 h (see the enlargedview of FIG. 25). The front portion 99 f is formed so that itsinclination angle becomes smaller as it extends backwards. Theintermediate portion 99 g is formed so that its inclination angleprovides a gentle incline. The back portion 99 h is formed so that itsinclination angle becomes larger as it extends backwards.

The back inclined portion 99 d of the fourth cam wall 99 has threesubstantially equally divided and smoothly curved portions in theforward/backward direction, that is, a front portion 99 i, anintermediate portion 99 j, and a back portion 99 k (see the enlargedview of FIG. 25). The front portion 99 i is formed so that itsinclination angle becomes smaller as it extends backwards. Theintermediate portion 99 j is formed so that its inclination angleprovides a gentle incline. The back portion 99 k is formed so that itsinclination angle becomes larger as it extends backwards.

A pushing rib 100 extending in the forward/backward direction isdisposed at the right end of the upper surface of the back half portion92 b of the principal portion 92.

A backwardly protruding cam protrusion 101 is disposed at the back endof the principal portion 92, and has an inclined surface 101 a incliningbackwards as it extends rightwards and a vertical surface 101 b formedcontinuously with the right end of the inclined surface 101 a andextending backwards.

The mode slider 91 is supported by the base chassis 15 so as to bemovable forwards and backwards by slidably engaging the guide shafts 94,94, and 94 in respective supporting holes 15 l, 15 l, and 15 l formed inthe disposing recess 15 i.

(o) Base Unit

A base unit 102 is rotatably disposed in the pickup disposing hole 15 gof the base chassis 15 (see FIGS. 8 and 26). Each portion of the baseunit 102 is mounted to a supporting case 103 (see FIGS. 21 and 26).

The supporting case 103 comprises a frame 104 and an engaging lever 105protruding upward from the right end of the frame 104. A forwardlyprotruding support shaft 104 a and a backwardly protruding support shaft104 a are disposed at the right end of the frame 104 so as to be spacedapart from each other in the forward/backward direction. An outwardlyprotruding cam protruding pin 104 b and an outwardly protruding supportportion 104 c are disposed at the left end of the frame 104 so as to bespaced apart from each other in the forward/backward direction.

A supporting base 106 is mounted to the frame 104 of the supporting case103. An optical pickup 107 for reproducing an information signal from adisc-shaped recording medium 200 is disposed at the supporting base 106.The optical pickup 107 has an objective lens 107 a. The disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is irradiated with a laser beam through theobjective lens 107 a.

The engaging lever 105 has a protrusion 105 a extending continuouslywith and vertically from the frame 104 and an engaging portion 105 bprotruding leftwards from the upper end of the protrusion 105 a.

A spindle motor (not shown) is mounted to the supporting base 106. Adisc table 108 is secured to the shaft of the spindle motor. The disctable 108 has a disc-shaped table body 108 a and a centering protrusion108 b protruding upward from the central portion of the table body 108 aand having a magnet (not shown) buried therein. Along with the chuckingpulley 56 and the optical pickup 107, the disc table 108 is used in thereproducing unit 3 in order to reproduce an information signal from thedisc-shaped recording medium 200.

The base unit 102 is supported by inserting the support shafts 104 a and104 a at the supporting case 103 in the respective shaft bearingportions 15 s and 15 s formed at the right end of the base chassis 15(see FIG. 26), and is rotatable substantially in the vertical movementdirections of the disc table 108 and on the support shafts 104 a and 104a serving as fulcra.

When the base unit 102 is rotatably supported at the base chassis 15,the upper end of the engaging lever 105 protrudes upward from the leverinsertion hole 15 h of the base chassis 15 (see FIG. 8).

When the base unit 102 is rotatably supported at the base chassis 15,the cam protruding pin 104 b at the supporting case 103 slidably engagesthe groove 68 of the cam 67 (see FIG. 21). When the cam protruding pin104 b engages an upper horizontal portion 68 a defining the groove 68,the support portion 104 c is disposed at a height allowing its insertionbetween the supporting protrusions 95 and 95 of the mode slider 91 (seeFIG. 21).

The base unit 102 rotates on the support shafts 104 a and 104 a asfulcra with respect to the base chassis 15 by changing the location ofengagement of the cam protruding pin 104 b with respect to the groove 68by rotating the cam 67.

(p) Disc Sensor

At the base chassis 15, a disc sensor 109 is disposed under the lighttransmission hole 15 f formed in the front end of the base chassis 15.The disc sensor 109 is, for example, an optical sensor, and operates todetermine whether or not there is a disc-shaped recording medium 200 byemitting detection light upward through the light transmission hole 15f.

(q) Transportation Drive Unit

A transportation drive unit has a drive section for rotating each of thefeed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k disposed in the firsttransporting means 6, and operates by drive force of a drive motor 110.

The drive motor 110 is mounted to the motor mounting portion 15 b formedat the central portion of the base chassis 15 (see FIGS. 8 and 27). Theshaft of the drive motor 110 protrudes downward from a shaft insertionhole. A small-diameter pulley 111 is secured to the shaft of the drivemotor 110 (see FIG. 27).

A pulley 112 with a gear is supported at the lower surface of the basechassis 15, and comprises a pulley body 112 a and a geared portion 112b, which are coaxially integrally formed. A belt 113 is wound betweenthe pulley body 112 a and the small-diameter pulley 111.

A feed gear 114 is supported near the pulley 112 with the gear disposedat the lower surface of the base chassis 15, and comprises a largegeared portion 114 a and a small geared portion 114 b, which arecoaxially formed. The large geared portion 114 a engages the gearedportion 112 b of the pulley 112 with the gear.

Fulcra gears 115 are supported at the four supporting shafts 15 jdisposed at the disposing recess 15 i of the base chassis 15 (see FIGS.24 and 27), and are vertically elongated. Each fulcra gear 115 has afirst geared portion 115 a, a second geared portion 115 b, and a thirdgeared portion 115 c, which are coaxially formed from the upper side inthat order. The diameter of each third geared portion 115 c is largerthan the diameter of each first geared portion 115 a, and is smallerthan the diameter of each second geared portion 115 b.

Of the fulcra gears 115, the two fulcra gears 115 and 115 in the middlehave their first geared portions 115 a and 115 a protruding upward fromthe clearance opening 92 c of the mode slider 91, and the two fulcragears 115 and 115 at the front and the back are disposed away from thepath of movement of the mode slider 91.

Of the four fulcra gears 115, the rearmost fulcrum gear 115 is such thata first timing belt 116 is wound between the lower half portion of itsthird geared portion 115 c and the small-geared portion 114 b of thefeed gear 114. A second timing belt 117 is wound between the upper halfportion of the third geared portion 115 c of the rearmost fulcrum gear115 and the third geared portion 115 c of the second fulcrum gear 115from the back. A third timing belt 118 is wound between the third gearedportions 115 c and 115 c of the two front fulcra gears 115 and 115.

A synchronous gear 119 is supported at the gear supporting shaft 15 kdisposed at the disposing recess 15 i of the base chassis 15, and engagethe second geared portions 115 b and 115 b of the two middle fulcragears 115 and 115.

When the drive motor 110 is rotated, its drive force is transmitted tothe fulcra gears 115 through the small-diameter pulley 111, the belt113, the pulley 112 with the gear, the feed gear 114, the first timingbelt 116, the second timing belt 117, the synchronous gear 119, and thethird timing belt 118, causing the fulcra gears 115 to rotate insynchronism in accordance with the direction of rotation of the drivemotor 110.

(r) Subchassis

A subchassis 120 is mounted to the disposing recess 15 i of the basechassis 15 so as to cover the mode slider 91 (see FIGS. 8 and 24). Thesubchassis 120 is longer than is wide, and has an upwardly facing andflat support surface 121, left and right surfaces 122 and 123 that areformed in a standing manner from the left and right edges of the supportsurface 121, and a partition wall 124 formed in a standing manner fromthe central portion of the support surface 121 in the forward/backwarddirection (see FIG. 28). These portions of the subchassis 120 areintegrally formed.

Four gear insertion holes 121 a are formed in the support surface 121 ofthe subchassis 120 so as to be spaced apart from each other in theforward/backward direction. The support surface 121 has guide slits 121b and 121 b, guide slits 121 c and 121 c, and a guide slit 121 d. Theslits 121 b and 121 b are long in the leftward/rightward direction andare formed so as to be in front of the partition wall 124 and spacedapart from each other in the forward/backward direction. The guide slits121 c and 121 c are long in the leftward/rightward direction and areformed so as to be behind the partition wall 124 and spaced apart fromeach other in the forward/backward direction. The guide slit 121 dextends leftwards and rightwards at the back end of the support surface121. A lever disposing opening 121 e is formed in the support surface121 so as to be disposed between the guide slit 121 d and the back guideslit 121 c.

Spring holding protrusions 123 a and 123 b are formed in the upper sideof the right surface 123 of the subchassis 120 so as to be disposed atthe front and back of the partition wall 124.

When the subchassis 120 is mounted to the disposing recess 15 i, thefirst geared portions 115 a of the respective fulcra gears 115 protrudeupwards from the respective gear insertion holes 121 a (see FIGS. 29 and30).

An operating lever 125 is rotatably supported on a portion immediatelyto the left of the lever disposing hole 121 e, serving as a fulcrum, inthe support surface 121 of the subchassis 120 (see FIGS. 28 and 29).

In the operating lever 125, a lever body 126, a connecting portion 127,and an operation portion 128 are integrally formed. The lever body 126is long in substantially one direction. The connecting portion 127protrudes downwards from one edge of the lever body 126. The operationportion 128 protrudes from the connecting portion 127 in a directionopposite to the location of the lever body 126. The lever body 126 has arotary supporting portion 126 a at one end thereof and a supporting hole126 b at the other end thereof so as to be long in the direction ofextension of the lever body 126.

The operating lever 125 is rotatable on the rotary supporting portion126 a serving as a fulcrum with respect to the subchassis 120. When theoperating lever 125 is supported by the subchassis 120, the operationportion 128 is disposed below the support surface 121 via the leverdisposing opening 121 e.

(s) Rotary mechanisms

A first rotary mechanism 129 is supported at the front fulcrum gear 115among the fulcra gears 115 disposed at the disposing recess 15 i of thebase chassis 15 (see FIGS. 29 and 30). The first rotary mechanism 129comprises a rotary member 130, a rotary lever 131, and a first rotarymember 132 (see FIGS. 29 to 31).

The rotary member 130 is long in one direction, and is supported on thefulcrum gear 115 with one end of the rotary member 130 serving as afulcrum.

The rotary lever 131 is long in one direction, and is supported at thelower side of the other end of the rotary member 130 with one end of therotary lever 131 serving as a fulcra. A first transmission gear 133 anda second transmission gear 134 are supported at the upper surface of therotary lever 131. The first transmission gear 133 is disposed as areduction gear and has a large-diameter geared portion 133 a and asmall-diameter geared portion 133 b, which are coaxially integrallyformed. The large-diameter geared portion 133 a engages the first gearedportion 115 a of the fulcrum gear 115, and the small-diameter gearedportion 133 b engages the second transmission gear 134.

The first rotary member 132 comprises a flat substantially cylindricalfirst feed roller 9 a, a shaft 132 a protruding downward from thecentral portion of the lower surface of the first feed roller 9 a, and ageared portion 132 b disposed at the lower end of the shaft 132 a. Aholding groove 9 b is formed in the entire periphery of the first feedroller 9 a.

The first rotary member 132 is supported at the upper surface of therotary lever 131 through a supporting shaft 135 passing through thecentral portion of the first rotary member 132. The geared portion 132 bengages the second transmission gear 134.

The supporting shaft 135 is secured to the other end of the rotary lever131 so that the lower end portion thereof protrudes downwards from therotary lever 131. The lower end portion of the supporting shaft 135slidably engages the guide slit 15 m formed in the front end of the basechassis 15. Therefore, the first rotary member 132 is movable towardsthe left and right by being guided by the guide slit 15 m.

When the first rotary mechanism 129 is supported by the fulcrum gear115, the rotary member 130 and the rotary lever 131 are supported at anangle such that a protrusion is formed in the substantially rightwarddirection (see FIG. 30).

In the first rotary mechanism 129, when the fulcrum gear 115 is rotatedby the transmission of the drive force of the drive motor 110 asdescribed above, the drive force of the drive motor 110 is transmittedto the first transmission gear 133, the second transmission gear 134,and the geared portion 132 b in that order, causing the first feedroller 9 a to rotate in a direction corresponding to the direction ofrotation of the fulcrum gear 115. At this time, a torque is generated atthe rotary lever 131 in a direction corresponding to the direction ofrotation of the fulcrum gear 115 and to the relationship between theposition of the rotary member 130 and the rotary lever 131. Based on thetorque, a leftward or a rightward moving force is applied to the firstfeed roller 9 a.

A second rotary mechanism 136 is supported at the second fulcrum gear115 from the front (see FIGS. 29 and 30). The second rotary mechanism136 comprises a rotary member 137, a first rotary lever 138, a thirdrotary member 139, a second rotary lever 140, and a second rotary member141 (see FIGS. 29 to 31).

The rotary member 137 is long in one direction, and is supported on thefulcrum gear 115 with one end of the rotary member 137 serving as afulcrum.

The first rotary lever 138 is long in one direction, and is supported atthe lower surface of the other end of the rotary member 137 with one endof the first rotary lever 138 serving as a fulcrum. A first transmissiongear 142 and a second transmission gear 143 are supported at the uppersurface of the first rotary lever 138. The first transmission gear 142is disposed as a reduction gear and has a large-diameter geared portion142 a and a small-diameter geared portion 142 b, which are coaxiallyintegrally formed. The large-diameter geared portion 142 a engages thefirst geared portion 115 a of the fulcrum gear 115, and thesmall-diameter geared portion 142 b engages the second transmission gear143.

The third rotary member 139 comprises a flat substantially cylindricalthird feed roller 9 e, a shaft 139 a protruding downward from thecentral portion of the lower surface of the third feed roller 9 e, and ageared portion 139 b disposed at the lower end of the shaft 139 a. Aholding groove 9 f is formed in the entire periphery of the third feedroller 9 e.

The third rotary member 139 is supported at the upper surface of thefirst rotary lever 138 through a supporting shaft 144 passing throughthe central portion of the third rotary member 139. The geared portion139 b engages the second transmission gear 143.

The second rotary lever 140 is long in one direction, and is supportedat the lower surface of the other end of the first rotary lever 138 withone end portion of the second rotary lever 140 serving as a fulcrum.Third transmission gears 145, 145, and 145 being successively engagedare supported at the upper surface of the second rotary lever 140.

The second rotary member 141 comprises a flat substantially cylindricalsecond feed roller 9 c, a shaft 141 a protruding downward from thecentral portion of the lower surface of the second feed roller 9 c, anda geared portion 141 b disposed at the lower end of the shaft 141 a. Aholding groove 9 d is formed in the entire periphery of the second feedroller 9 c.

The second rotary member 141 is supported at the upper surface of thesecond rotary lever 140 through a supporting shaft 146 passing throughthe central portion of the second rotary member 141. The geared portion141 b engages one third transmission gear 145.

The supporting shaft 144, which supports the third rotary member 139, issecured to the other end of the first rotary lever 138 so that the lowerend portion thereof protrudes downwards from the second rotary lever140. The lower end portion of the supporting shaft 144 slidably engagesthe second guide slit 121 b from the front of the subchassis 120.Therefore, the third rotary member 139 is movable towards the left andright by being guided by the guide slit 121 b.

The supporting shaft 146, which supports the second rotary member 141,is secured to the other end of the second rotary lever 140 so that thelower end portion thereof protrudes downwards from the second rotarylever 140. The lower end portion of the supporting shaft 146 slidablyengages the front guide slit 121 b of the subchassis 120. Therefore, thesecond rotary member 141 is movable towards the left and right by beingguided by the guide slit 121 b.

A biasing spring 147 is tightly stretched between the rotary member 137and the spring holding protrusion 123 a of the subchassis 120. Thebiasing spring 147 may be, for example, a tensile spring, and biases thesecond rotary mechanism 136 rightwards.

When the second rotary mechanism 136 is supported by the fulcrum gear115, the rotary member 137 and the first and second rotary levers 138and 140 are supported at an angle such that a protrusion is formed inthe substantially rightward direction (see FIG. 30).

In the second rotary mechanism 136, when the fulcrum gear 115 is rotatedby the transmission of the drive force of the drive motor 110 asdescribed above, the drive force of the drive motor 110 is transmittedto the first transmission gear 142, the second transmission gear 143,the geared portion 139 b, the third transmission gears 145, 145, and145, and the geared portion 141 b in that order, causing the third feedroller 9 e and the second feed roller 9 c to rotate in a directioncorresponding to the direction of rotation of the fulcrum gear 115. Atthis time, a torque is generated at the first rotary lever 138 and thesecond rotary lever 140 in a direction corresponding to the direction ofrotation of the fulcrum gear 115 and to the relationship between thepositions of the rotary member 137 and the first and second rotarylevers 138 and 140. Based on the torque, a leftward or a rightwardmoving force is applied to the third feed roller 9 e and the second feedroller 9 c.

A third rotary mechanism 148 is supported at the third fulcrum gear 115from the front (see FIGS. 29 and 30). The third rotary mechanism 148comprises a rotary member 149, a rotary lever 15 o, and a fourth rotarymember 151 (see FIGS. 29 to 31).

The rotary member 149 is long in one direction, and is supported on thefulcrum gear 115 with one end of the rotary member 149 serving as afulcrum.

The rotary lever 150 is substantially triangular, and is supported atthe lower surface of the other end of the rotary member 149 with onecorner of the rotary lever 150 serving as a fulcrum. A firsttransmission gear 152 and a second transmission gear 153 are supportedat the upper surface of the rotary lever 150. The first transmissiongear 152 is disposed as a reduction gear and has a large-diameter gearedportion 152 a and a small-diameter geared portion 152 b, which arecoaxially integrally formed. The large-diameter geared portion 152 aengages the first geared portion 115 a of the fulcrum gear 115, and thesmall-diameter geared portion 152 b engages the second transmission gear153.

The fourth rotary member 151 comprises a flat substantially cylindricalfourth feed roller 9 g, a shaft 151 a protruding downward from thecentral portion of the lower surface of the fourth feed roller 9 g, anda geared portion 151 b disposed at the lower end of the shaft 151 a. Aholding groove 9 h is formed in the entire periphery of the fourth feedroller 9 g.

The fourth rotary member 151 is supported at the upper surface of therotary lever 150 through a supporting shaft 154 passing through thecentral portion of the fourth rotary member 151. The geared portion 151b engages the second transmission gear 153.

The supporting shaft 154 is secured to a corner that is different fromthe aforementioned corner of the rotary lever 150 so that the lower endportion thereof protrudes downwards from the rotary lever 150. The lowerend portion of the supporting shaft 154 slidably engages the supportinghole 126 b of the operating lever 125 supported at the subchassis 120and the back guide slit 121 c of the subchassis 120. Therefore, thefourth rotary member 151 is movable towards the left and right by beingguided by the guide slit 121 c.

A biasing spring 155 is tightly stretched between the rotary member 149and the spring holding protrusion 123 b of the subchassis 120. Thebiasing spring 155 may be, for example, a tensile spring, and biases thethird rotary mechanism 148 rightwards.

When the third rotary mechanism 148 is supported by the fulcrum gear115, the rotary member 149 and the rotary lever 150 are supported at anangle such that a protrusion is formed in the substantially rightwarddirection (see FIG. 30).

In the third rotary mechanism 148, when the fulcrum gear 115 is rotatedby the transmission of the drive force of the drive motor 110 asdescribed above, the drive force of the drive motor 110 is transmittedto the first transmission gear 152, the second transmission gear 153,and the geared portion 151 b in that order, causing the fourth feedroller 9 g to rotate in a direction corresponding to the direction ofrotation of the fulcrum gear 115. At this time, a torque is generated atthe rotary lever 150 in a direction corresponding to the direction ofrotation of the fulcrum gear 115 and to the relationship between theposition of the rotary member 149 and the position of the rotary lever150. Based on the torque, a leftward or a rightward moving force isapplied to the fourth feed roller 9 g.

A fourth rotary mechanism 156 is supported at the rear fulcrum gear 115(see FIGS. 29 and 30). The fourth rotary mechanism 156 comprises arotary member 157, a first rotary lever 158, a fifth rotary member 159,a second rotary lever 160, and a sixth rotary member 161 (see FIGS. 29to 31).

The rotary member 157 is long in one direction, and is supported on thefulcrum gear 115 with one end of the rotary member 157 serving as afulcrum.

The first rotary lever 158 is long in one direction, and is supported atthe lower surface of the other end of the rotary member 157 with one endof the first rotary lever 158 serving as a fulcrum. A first transmissiongear 162 and a second transmission gear 163 are supported at the uppersurface of the first rotary lever 158. The first transmission gear 162is disposed as a reduction gear and has a large-diameter geared portion162 a and a small-diameter geared portion 162 b, which are coaxiallyintegrally formed. The large-diameter geared portion 162 a engages thefirst geared portion 115 a of the fulcrum gear 115, and thesmall-diameter geared portion 162 b engages the second transmission gear163.

The fifth rotary member 159 comprises a flat substantially cylindricalfifth feed roller 9 i, a shaft 159 a protruding downward from thecentral portion of the lower surface of the fifth feed roller 9 i, and ageared portion 159 b disposed at the lower end of the shaft 159 a. Aholding groove 9 j is formed in the entire periphery of the fifth feedroller 9 i.

The fifth rotary member 159 is supported at the upper surface of thefirst rotary lever 158 through a supporting shaft 164 passing throughthe central portion of the fifth rotary member 159. The geared portion159 b engages the second transmission gear 163.

The diameter of a portion of the fifth feed roller 9 i that comes intocontact with the outer peripheral surface of a disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 is slightly smaller than those of the rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e,and 9 g, and the feed members 10 a, 10 c, 10 e, and 10 g.

The second rotary lever 160 is long in one direction, and is supportedat the lower surface of the other end of the first rotary lever 158 withone end portion of the second rotary lever 160 serving as a fulcrum.Third transmission gears 165, 165, and 165 being successively engagedare supported at the upper surface of the second rotary lever 160.

The sixth rotary member 161 comprises a flat substantially cylindricalsixth feed roller 9 k, a shaft 161 a protruding downward from thecentral portion of the lower surface of the sixth feed roller 9 k, and ageared portion 161 b disposed at the lower end of the shaft 161 a. Aholding groove 91 is formed in the entire periphery of the sixth feedroller 9 k.

The sixth rotary member 161 is supported at the upper surface of thesecond rotary lever 160 through a supporting shaft 166 passing throughthe central portion of the sixth rotary member 161. The geared portion161 b engages one third transmission gear 165.

The supporting shaft 164, which supports the fifth rotary member 159, issecured to the other end of the first rotary lever 158 so that the lowerend portion thereof protrudes downwards from the second rotary lever160. The lower end portion of the supporting shaft 164 slidably engagesthe guide slit 121 d that is the rearmost guide slit of the subchassis120. Therefore, the fifth rotary member 159 is movable towards the leftand right by being guided by the guide slit 121 d.

The supporting shaft 166, which supports the sixth rotary member 161, issecured to the other end of the second rotary lever 160 so that thelower end portion thereof protrudes downwards from the second rotarylever 160. The lower end portion of the supporting shaft 166 slidablyengages the guide slit 15 r, disposed behind the subchassis 120, of thebase chassis 15. Therefore, the sixth rotary member 161 is movabletowards the left and right by being guided by the guide slit 15 r.

A biasing spring 167 is tightly stretched between the rotary member 157and the spring holding protrusion 15 q disposed to the right of theguide slit 15 r of the base chassis 15. The biasing spring 167 may be,for example, a tensile spring, and biases the fourth rotary mechanism156 rightwards.

When the fourth rotary mechanism 156 is supported by the fulcrum gear115, the rotary member 157 and the first rotary lever 158 and the secondrotary lever 160 are supported in the form of a crank.

In the fourth rotary mechanism 156, when the fulcrum gear 115 is rotatedby the transmission of the drive force of the drive motor 110 asdescribed above, the drive force of the drive motor 110 is transmittedto the first transmission gear 162, the second transmission gear 163,the geared portion 159 b, the third transmission gears 165, 165, and165, and the geared portion 161 b in that order, causing the fifth feedroller 9 i and the sixth feed roller 9 k to rotate in a directioncorresponding to the direction of rotation of the fulcrum gear 115. Atthis time, a torque is generated at the first rotary lever 158 and thesecond rotary lever 160 in a direction corresponding to the direction ofrotation of the fulcrum gear 115 and to the relationship between thepositions of the rotary member 157, the first rotary lever 158, and thesecond rotary lever 160. Based on the torque, a leftward or a rightwardmoving force is applied to the fifth feed roller 9 i and the sixth feedroller 9 k.

For example, annular rubber members (not shown) are mounted to theholding grooves 9 b, 9 d, 9 f, 9 h, 9 j, and 9 l of the respective feedrollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k. When they are pushed againstthe outer peripheral surface of a disc-shaped recording medium 200, apredetermined friction force is generated in order to prevent the feedrollers from sliding with respect to the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200.

As described above, the supporting shafts 144, 146, 154, and 164 aresupported by being inserted in the respective guide slits 121 b, 121 b,121 c, and 121 d of the subchassis 120. Therefore, by the subchassis120, that is, by one member, the supporting shafts 144, 146, 154, and164 are prevented from tilting and are positioned in the heightdirection of the feed rollers 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, and 9 i, thereby making itpossible to prevent displacement in the height direction of the feedrollers and to reduce the number of parts.

In the state in which the supporting shafts 144, 146, 154, and 164 areinserted in the respective guide slits 121 b, 121 b, 121 c, and 121 d ofthe subchassis 120 as mentioned above, when the mode slider 91 moves inthe forward/backward direction, the first cam wall 96 or the second camwall 97 is disposed at a location that allows it to come into slidingcontact with the lower end of the supporting shaft 146, and the fourthcam wall 99 is at a location that allows it to come into sliding contactwith the lower end of the supporting shaft 164 (see FIG. 32). When themode slider 91 moves in the forward/backward direction, the pushing rib100 is disposed at a location that allows it to come into slidingcontact with the operation portion 128 of the operating lever 125rotatably supported at the subchassis 120 (see FIG. 32).

As described above, the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 kare rotated by rotating the respective fulcra gears 115 at the same timeby the drive force of the drive motor 110. Therefore, when the drivemotor 110 is rotated, the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 kare rotated at the same time in accordance with the direction ofrotation of the drive motor 110.

The feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k form theaforementioned first transporting means 6. The feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k and the feed members 10 a, 10 c, 10 e, 10 g, 10 i,and 10 k of the second transporting means 7 mounted to the sliding means24, 29, 43, and 48 supported by the supporting chassis 14 serve as theaforementioned feeding means 8. The first transporting means 6 and thesecond transporting means 7 are components of the transporting mechanism5.

(t) Stocker Ascending/Descending Mechanism

The stocker ascending/descending mechanism raises and lowers the stocker4, and operates by drive force of an ascending/descending motor 168.

The ascending/descending motor 168 is mounted to the motor mountingportion 15 c formed at the back end of the base chassis 15 (see FIGS. 7,8, and 27). The shaft of the ascending/descending motor 168 protrudesdownward from a shaft insertion hole. A pulley 169 is secured to theshaft of the ascending/descending motor 168 (see FIGS. 27 and 33).

A pulley 170 with a gear is supported at the lower surface of the basechassis 15, and has a pulley body 170 a and a geared portion 170 b,which are coaxially and integrally formed. A belt 171 is wound betweenthe pulley body 170 a and the pulley 169.

A coupling gear 172 is supported at the back end of the lower surface ofthe base chassis 15, and has a large-diameter portion 172 a and asmall-diameter portion 172 b, which are coaxially integrally formed. Thelarge-diameter portion 172 a of the coupling gear 172 engages the gearedportion 170 b of the pulley 170 with the gear. The small-diameterportion 172 b of the coupling gear 172 protrudes upwards from therearwardly disposed gear disposing hole 15 o of the base chassis 15.

An intermediate gear 173 is supported at the rearward location of theupper surface of the base chassis 15 so as to be disposed atsubstantially the central portion thereof in the leftward/rightwarddirection. The intermediate gear 173 has a large-diameter portion 173 aand a small-diameter portion 173 b, which are coaxially integrallyformed. The large-diameter portion 173 a engages the small-diameterportion 172 b of the coupling gear 172. The small-diameter portion 173 bof the intermediate gear 173 protrudes downwards from the forwardlydisposed gear disposing hole 15 n of the base chassis 15, and engages ageared portion 174 a of a rotary encoder 174 supported at the lowersurface of the base chassis 15. The rotary encoder 174 detects theamount of rotation of the ascending/descending motor 168 from its amountof rotation. Therefore, based on the detection of the amount of rotationof the ascending/descending motor 168 by the rotary encoder 174, therotation of the ascending/descending motor 168 is controlled, so thatthe position of the stocker 4 in the height direction is set.

Synchronous flat gears 175 and 175 are supported at the rearward endlocation of the upper surface of the base chassis 15 so as to bedisposed on the left and right sides of the intermediate gear 173, andengage the large-diameter portion 173 a of the intermediate gear 173.

Rotary cams 176, 176, and 176 are supported at the left and right endsof the rear end portion or the rearward end portion of the base chassis15 (see FIGS. 7, 8, 27, and 33).

The rotary cams 176, 176, and 176 are substantially cylindrical andvertically long, and have respective geared portions 176 a, 176 a, and176 a disposed at the lower ends thereof (see FIG. 34). Grooves 177,177, and 177 are formed along the peripheries of the respective rotarycams 176, 176, and 176. In the grooves 177, horizontal non-operatingportions 177 a and inclined operating portions 177 b that connect thenon-operating portions 177 a are alternately formed (see FIGS. 34 and35). The length of the non-operating portions 177 a is greater than thelength of the operating portions 177 b, and equals to, for example, alength defined by a central angle equal to or greater than 180 degreesof the rotary cams 176.

The rotary cams 176, 176, and 176 are such that the geared portion 176 aof the left rotary cam 176 engages the left synchronous flat gear 175,and the geared portions 176 a and 176 a of the two right rotary cams 176and 176 engage the right synchronous flat gear 175.

(u) Stocker

The stocker 4 is supported at the guide shafts 15 p and 15 p disposed atthe rearward end location of the base chassis 15 so that it can beraised and lowered (see FIGS. 7, 8, 27, and 33). In the stocker 4,substantially arc-shaped shelves 178 vertically separated from eachother at an equal interval, a peripheral portion 179 disposed so as toconnect the outer peripheral edges of the shelves 178, and guideportions 180 protruding in the leftward/rightward direction from theleftward and rightward end locations of the lower end of the peripheralportion 179 (see FIG. 33). Guide holes 180 a and 180 a are formed inends of the respective guide portions 180 and 180.

The spaces between the shelves 178 of the stocker 4 are formed as discaccommodating portions 181 for accommodating large-diameter disc-shapedrecording media 200 a. Guide protrusions 179 a, 179 a, and 179 a aredisposed at the lower end of the peripheral portion 179 so as to bespaced apart from each other in the peripheral direction and so as toprotrude outwards.

The stocker 4 is supported so that it can be raised and lowered byinserting the guide shafts 15 p and 15 p of the base chassis 15 in theguide holes 180 a and 180 a of the guide portions 180 and 180,respectively. When the stocker 4 is supported by the guide shafts 15 pand 15 p, the guide protrusions 179 a, 179 a, and 179 a slidably engagethe grooves 177, 177, and 177 of the rotary cams 176, 176, and 176,respectively.

When the ascending/descending motor 168 is rotated, its drive force istransmitted to the pulley 169, the belt 171, the pulley 170 with thegear, the coupling gear 172, the intermediate gear 173, the synchronousflat gears 175 and 175, and the rotary cams 176, 176, and 176 in thatorder, thereby causing the rotary cams 176, 176, and 176 to rotate insynchronism. When the rotary cams 176, 176, and 176 rotate insynchronism, the locations of the guide protrusions 179 a, 179 a, and179 a of the stocker 4 change with respect to the grooves 177, 177, and177, so that the stocker 4 is moved upwards or downwards depending uponthe direction of rotation of the rotary cams 176, 176, and 176.

(v) Structure of Housing

In this way, the supporting chassis 14 having each part disposed thereatis mounted to the base chassis 15 having each part disposed thereat fromabove the base chassis 15, thereby forming the housing 2 (see FIGS. 7and 8). When the supporting chassis 14 is mounted to the base chassis15, a space having a predetermined size is formed therebetween as aspace for inserting and transporting disc-shaped recording media 200.

In the state in which the housing 2 is formed by mounting the supportingchassis 14 to the base chassis 15, the disc insertion slot 2 a that islonger than is wide is formed in the front surface of the housing 2 (seeFIGS. 7 and 36). The vertical width of the disc insertion slot 2 a issmallest at left and right end portions 2 c and 2 c, becomes graduallylarger towards a center 2 d in the leftward/rightward direction from theleft and right end portions 2 c and 2 c, and is largest at the center 2d. The vertical width of the left and right end portions 2 c and 2 cdefining the disc insertion slot 2 a is less than twice the thickness ofa disc-shaped recording medium 200.

Ordinarily, a disc-shaped recording medium 200 is inserted into the discinsertion slot 2 a from its central portion. As described above, sincethe width at the center 2 d is largest, the disc-shaped recording medium200 can be properly inserted. Since the vertical width of the left andright end portions 2 c and 2 c defining the disc insertion slot 2 a isless than twice the thickness of the disc-shaped recording medium 200,it is possible to prevent insertion of a plurality of stackeddisc-shaped recording media 200, so that the disc-shaped recording media200 can be correctly inserted into the disc insertion slot 2 a.

In the state in which the housing 2 is formed by mounting the supportingchassis 14 to the base chassis 15, the dislodging preventing portion 14h of the supporting chassis 14 and the dislodging preventing portion 15u of the base chassis 15 are vertically spaced apart, so that a discpassage 182, which is longer than is wide, is formed between them (seeFIG. 13). The shape and size of the disc passage 182 are substantiallythe same as those of the disc insertion slot 2 a. Its vertical width issmallest at left and right end portions 182 a and 182 a, becomesgradually larger towards a center 182 b in the leftward/rightwarddirection from the left and right end portions 182 a and 182 a, and islargest at the center 182 b. The vertical width of the left and rightend portions 182 a and 182 a defining the disc passage 182 is less thantwice the thickness of a disc-shaped recording medium 200.

As described later, even if, for example, an attempt is made totransport a plurality of stacked disc-shaped recording media due tomalfunctioning of, for example, a microcomputer towards the reproducingunit 3 from the stocker 4, since the vertical width of the left andright end portions 182 a and 182 a defining the disc passage 182 is lessthan twice the thickness of a disc-shaped recording medium 200, it ispossible to prevent the transportation of the plurality of stackeddisc-shaped recording media 200, so that a disc-shaped recording medium200 can be properly inserted into the disc passage 182.

When the housing 2 is formed, the supporting shaft 135 supporting thefirst rotary member 132 of the first rotary mechanism 129 is rotatablysupported by the supporting cylindrical portion 25 c of the drive slider25 of the first sliding means 24. The supporting shafts 146 and 144supporting the respective second rotary member 141 and third rotarymember 139 of the second rotary mechanism 136 are rotatably supported bythe supporting cylindrical portions 30 d and 30 d of the drive slider 30of the second sliding means 29, respectively. The supporting shaft 154supporting the fourth rotary member 151 of the third rotary mechanism148 is rotatably supported by the supporting cylindrical portion 44 c ofthe drive slider 44 of the fourth sliding means 43. The supportingshafts 164 and 166 of the respective fifth rotary member 159 and sixthrotary member 161 of the fourth rotary mechanism 156 are rotatablysupported by the supporting cylindrical portions 49 d and 49 d of thedrive slider 49 of the fifth sliding means 48, respectively.

In this way, when the supporting shafts 146, 144, 154, 164, and 166 arerotatably supported by the respective supporting cylindrical portions 30d, 30 d, 44 c, 49 d, and 49 d, the springs 32, 46, and 51 supported bythe respective sliders 31, 44, and 49 apply rightward tensile forces tothe upper ends of the supporting shafts 146, 144, 154, 164, and 166.Since rightward tensile forces are applied to the rotary members 137,149, and 157 of the respective rotary mechanisms 136, 148, and 156, bythe biasing springs 147, 155, and 167, it is possible prevent thesupporting shafts 146, 144, 154, 164, and 166 from tilting with respectto the subchassis 120 or the base chassis 15.

When the housing 2 is formed, the lower end of the guide shaft 39mounted to the first slider 35 of the third sliding means 34 is insertedin the forwardly disposed guide slit 121 c formed in the central portionof the subchassis 120 in the forward/backward direction. When the lowerend of the guide shaft 39 is inserted in the guide slit 121 c, the thirdcam wall 98 of the mode slider 91 can slidably contact the lower end ofthe guide shaft 39.

When the housing 2 is formed, the engaging lever 105 of the supportingcase 103 of the base unit 102 protrudes upward from the insertion hole21 of the supporting chassis 14, and the engaging portion 105 b engagesthe upper side of the operation portion 60 of the detaching member 57supported at the upper surface of the supporting chassis 14 (see FIGS. 7and 36). Therefore, when the base unit 102 is rotated in the directionof upward movement of the disc table 108, the detaching member 57 isrotated in the direction of downward movement of the lifting portions 59and 59, thereby moving the chucking pulley 56 downwards by its ownweight. In contrast, when the base unit 102 is rotated in the directionof downward movement of the disc table 108, the detaching member 57 isrotated in the direction of upward movement of the lifting portions 59and 59, so that the flange 56 a is lifted, thereby moving the chuckingpulley 56 upward.

(4) Operation of the Disc Loading Device

Hereunder, the operation of the disc loading device 1 will be described(see FIGS. 37 to 95).

In the disc loading device 1, a disc-shaped recording medium 200 istransported while it is nipped between the feed rollers 9 and the feedmembers 10.

(a) Condition of Transportation

First, the conditions of the feed rollers 9 and feed members 10 requiredfor transporting a disc-shaped recording medium 200 will be described(see FIG. 37).

The springs 27, 32, 46, and 51 supported at the respective sliding means24, 29, 43, and 48 push the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10against the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 in order to transport the disc-shaped recording medium 200 bytransferring it between the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10,which are spaced from each other in the direction of transportation.

When the force of each spring is X, the friction coefficient between thefeed rollers (feed members) and the disc-shaped recording medium is μ,and the vertical drag exerted upon the feed rollers by the disc-shapedrecording medium is N, the conditional expression Xsin θ=μN isestablished. Here, when a line segment passing through a center P of thedisc-shaped recording medium and extending in a transportation directionS is L1, θ is an angle formed by a line segment L2 perpendicular to theline segment L1 and passing through the center P and a line segment L3joining the center P and a rotational center Q of the feed rollers (theangle θ is hereunder referred to as “contact angle”). Since N=Xcos θ,Xsin θ=μXcosθ is established, and becomes sin θ=μcos θ, so that μ=tan θ.Therefore, the larger the contact angle θ, the larger the frictioncoefficient μ must be. Consequently, the feed rollers tend to slide withrespect to the disc-shaped recording medium.

As described above, whether or not the feed rollers slide with respectto the disc-shaped recording medium does not depend upon the springforce X, but depends upon the friction coefficient μ. Therefore, inorder to reliably transport the disc-shaped recording medium, thecontact angle θ should be as small as possible. When the disc-shapedrecording medium is transferred from a feed roller and a feed member tothe next feed roller and feed member, it is desirable that the next feedroller and feed member be separated by the maximum distance possible,and, thus, be disposed at a large distance from the line segment L1extending along the transportation direction S.

When the disc-shaped recording medium is being transported, the springforce X is a load with respect to the transportation because the feedrollers and the respective feed members move away from each otheragainst the spring force X until the centers of the feed rollers and therespective feed members are aligned with the line segment L2. After thecenters of the feed rollers and the respective feed members are alignedwith the line segment L2, the spring force X causes the feed rollers andthe respective feed members to move toward each other so as to help thetransportation.

(b) Five Operation Modes

In the disc loading device 1, five operation modes are set for thefollowing operations.

The five operation modes are a transportation mode, anascending/descending mode, an accommodation/take-out mode, a chuckingmode, and a disc holding canceling mode. The transportation mode is setwhen a disc-shaped recording medium 200 a or a disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b is to be transported between the disc insertion slot 2 aand the reproducing unit 3. The ascending/descending mode is set whenthe stocker 4 is to be raised or lowered. The accommodation/take-outmode is set when the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is to betransported between the reproducing unit 3 and the stocker 4. Thechucking mode is set when the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a or thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b transported to the reproducing unit 3is to be chucked or unchucked. The disc holding canceling mode is setwhen the holding of the chucked disc-shaped recording medium 200 a ordisc-shaped recording medium 200 b by the feed rollers 9 and feedmembers 10 is to be cancelled.

(c) Transportation Mode

The transportation mode that is set when a disc-shaped recording medium200 a inserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a is to be transportedbetween the disc insertion slot 2 a and the reproducing unit 3 will bedescribed. In the transportation mode, the state of each part is asfollows (see FIGS. 38 to 41).

The first sliding means 24 supported by the supporting chassis 14 issuch that the restricting portion 26 f of the driven slider 26 is incontact with the restricting protrusion 25 b of the drive slider 25 bythe force of the spring 27, and the drive slider 25 and the drivenslider 26 are at movement ends in the directions in which they movetowards each other (see FIG. 38). Therefore, the first feed roller 9 a,supported by the drive slider 25, and the first feed member 10 a,mounted to the driven slider 26, are held at movement ends in thedirections in which they move towards each other.

The second sliding means 29 is such that the restricting portion 31 g ofthe driven slider 31 is in contact with the restricting protrusion 30 cof the driven slider 30 by the force of the spring 32, the restrictingportion 30 g of the drive slider 30 is in contact with the restrictingprotrusion 31 b of the driven slider 31, and the drive slider 30 and thedriven slider 31 are at movement ends in the directions in which theymove towards each other (see FIG. 38). Therefore, the second feed roller9 c and third feed roller 9 e, supported at the drive slider 30, and thesecond feed member 10 c and third feed member 10 e, mounted to thedriven slider 31, are held at movement ends in the directions in whichthey move towards each other. At this time, the pushing protrusion 26 bof the driven slider 26 of the first sliding means 24 is disposed at apredetermined distance from the left side of the pushing protrusion 31 cof the driven slider 31.

The third sliding means 34 is such that the restricting portion 36 g ofthe second slider 36 is in contact with the restricting protrusion 35 bof the first slider 35 by the force of the spring 40, and the firstslider 35 and the second slider 36 are disposed at movement ends in thedirections in which they move towards each other (see FIG. 38).Therefore, the first restricting roller 37, supported at the firstslider 35, and the second restricting roller 41, supported at the secondslider 36, are held at movement ends in the directions in which theymove towards each other.

The fourth sliding means 43 is such that the restricting portion 45 g ofthe driven slider 45 is in contact with the restricting protrusion 44 bof the drive slider 44 by the force of the spring 46, and the driveslider 44 and the driven slider 45 are disposed at movement ends in thedirections in which they move towards each other (see FIG. 38).Therefore, the fourth feed roller 9 g supported at the drive slider 44and the fourth feed member 10 g mounted to the driven slider 45 are heldat movement ends in the directions in which they move towards eachother. At this time, the pushing protrusion 45 c of the driven slider 45is in contact with the left side of the push protrusion 36 c of thesecond slider 36 of the third sliding means 34. Here, the operationportion 128 of the operating lever 125 supported at the subchassis 120faces obliquely rightwards and backwards (see FIG. 38).

Since the supporting shaft 166 supported at the support cylindricalportion 49 d of the drive slider 49 engages the left end of the inclinedsurface 101 a of the cam protrusion 101 of the mode slider 91, the driveslider 49 and the driven slider 50 of the fifth sliding means 48 aredisposed at movement ends in the directions in which they move away fromeach other (see FIG. 38). Therefore, the fifth feed roller 9 i and thesixth feed roller 9 k supported at the drive slider 49 and the fifthfeed member 10 i and the sixth feed member 10 k, mounted to the drivenslider 50, are held at movement ends in the directions in which theymove away from each other.

The movable levers 53 and 53 supported at rearward end locations of thesupporting chassis 14 are biased towards each other by the torsionalcoil springs 54 and 54, and the stoppers 55 and 55 supported at therespective movable levers 53 and 53 are held at movement ends in thedirections in which they move towards each other (see FIG. 38).

The cam 67 supported at the lower surface of the base chassis 15 is suchthat one of the ribs 67 c at the lower surface of the cam 67 is incontact with or is disposed close to the wall 70 a of the Geneva drivengear 69 (see FIG. 39). At this time, the operating gear 74 engaging thegeared portion 67 a of the cam 67 through the two-speed gear 73 is suchthat its insertion cut portion 75 a of the restricting wall 75 isdisposed at the left (see FIG. 39). Therefore, when the drive slider 25is moved leftwards, the supporting shaft 135 supported at the driveslider 25 of the first sliding means 24 is capable of passing throughthe insertion cut portion 75 a. As a result, the drive slider 25 ismovable towards the left or right, and is not locked (see FIG. 39).

The insertion restricting means 77 disposed at the lower surface of thebase chassis 15 is such that its push protrusion 87 a of the operatinglever 80 is pushed backwards by the pushing pin 76 of the operating gear74, so that the operating lever 80 is rotated backwards (see FIGS. 39and 40). Since the operating lever 80 is rotated backwards, the push pin84 b of the restricting lever 79 is pushed backwards by the protrusion87 of the operating lever 80, causing the engaging protrusions 84 a and84 a of the restricting lever 79 to rotate downwards (see FIG. 40).Therefore, the engaging protrusions 84 a and 84 a push the stopper ring90, mounted to the restricting pin 89 held by the holding member 78,downwards against the biasing force of the compression spring 88, sothat the upper end of the restricting pin 89 protrudes slightly upwardsfrom the pin insertion hole 15 e of the base chassis 15.

Since the upper end of the restricting pin 89 protrudes slightly upwardsfrom the pin insertion hole 15 e, the upper end of the restricting pin89 is disposed at the clearance recess 15 d of the base chassis 15, andthus is not disposed in front of the disc insertion slot 2 a (see FIG.40). Therefore, in the transmission mode, the disc loading device is setin an unrestricted state in which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 acan be inserted into and taken out of the disc insertion slot 2 a.

The mode slider 91 is disposed at a rearward movement end (see FIGS. 38and 39). Therefore, the front end of the rack 93 engages the couplinggear 72 supported at the lower surface of the base chassis 15 (see FIG.39).

The supporting protrusions 95 and 95 of the mode slider 91 are disposedbehind the support portion 104 c of the base unit 102. The first camwall 96 and the second cam wall 97 of the mode slider 91 are disposedbehind the supporting shaft 144 supporting the third feed roller 9 e,and the third cam wall 98 of the mode slider 91 is disposed behind theguide shaft 39 supported by the first slider 35 (see FIG. 38). The frontlinear portion 99 a of the fourth cam wall 99 of the mode slider 91engages the right side of the supporting shaft 164 supporting the fifthfeed roller 9 i (see FIG. 38). At this time, the supporting shaft 164elastically contacts the front linear portion 99 a of the fourth camwall 99 by the spring 51 and the biasing spring 167 biasing the fifthsliding means 48 and the fourth rotary mechanism 156 rightwards. Thepushing rib 100 of the mode slider 91 is disposed behind the operationportion 128 of the operating lever 125 supported by the subchassis 120(see FIG. 38). The left end of the inclined surface 101 a of the camprotrusion 101 of the mode slider 91 engages the supporting shaft 166supporting the sixth feed roller 9 k (see FIG. 38).

The cam protruding pin 104 b of the supporting case 103 of the base unit102 engages the lower horizontal portion 68 a defining the groove 68 ofthe cam 67 (see FIG. 41). Therefore, while the disc table 108 isdisposed at the lower movement end, the base unit 102 is inclined withrespect to the base chassis 15.

Since the base unit 102 is inclined, the detaching member 57 is rotatedin the direction of upward movement of the lifting portions 59 and 59 bythe engaging portion 105 b of the engaging lever 105, so that thechucking pulley 56 is lifted by the detaching member 57 (see FIG. 41).Therefore, a space having a predetermined size is formed between thechucking pulley 56 and the disc table 108.

(d) Transporting Operation Between the Disc Insertion Slot and theStocker

Next, the transporting operation for transporting a disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a between the disc insertion slot 2 a and thestocker 4 will be described (see FIGS. 42 to 71).

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is to be transported to thestocker 4 from the disc insertion slot 2 a and accommodated, anaccommodation knob (not shown) is operated. When the accommodation knobis operated, first, the ascending/descending mode in which the stocker 4is raised or lowered is set. At this time, of the disc accommodationportions 181 of the stocker 4, a predetermined disc accommodationportion 181 to which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is to beaccommodated is selected. In the ascending/descending mode, the state ofeach part is as follows (see FIGS. 42 to 44).

The states of the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48 are the same asthose in the transportation mode.

The cam 67 supported at the lower surface of the base chassis 15 isrotated by a predetermined angle in a counterclockwise direction (thatis, a direction R2 shown in FIG. 42) in plan view by rotation of themode motor 61 from the state in the transportation mode, so that one ofthe operating pins 67 b is stopped at a location where it is situatedimmediately before it is inserted into the operation groove 70 d of theGeneva driven gear 69 (see FIG. 42).

In the insertion restricting means 77 disposed at the lower surface ofthe base chassis 15, since the operating gear 74 is rotatedcounterclockwise (that is, in a direction P2 shown in FIG. 42) in planview by the rotation of the cam 67, the backward pushing operationperformed on the push protrusion 87 a of the operating lever 80 by thepushing pin 76 is cancelled (see FIGS. 42 and 43). At this time, theinsertion cut portion 75 a of the restricting wall 75 of the operatinggear 74 is not positioned at the left side. Therefore, the supportingshaft 135 supported at the drive slider 25 of the first sliding means 24cannot pass through the insertion cut portion 75 a because its movementis restricted by the restricting wall 75 even if it tries to moveleftwards by the leftward movement of the drive slider 25. Consequently,the drive slider 25 cannot move in the horizontal direction and is thusin a locked state (see FIGS. 42 and 43).

The drive slider 25 is locked not only in the ascending/descending modebut also in the accommodation/take-out mode in which the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a is transported between the reproducing unit 3 andthe stocker 4, in the chucking mode in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 a transported to the reproducing unit 3 is chucked orunchucked, and the disc holding canceling mode in which the holding ofthe chucked disc-shaped recording medium 200 a by the feed rollers 9 and9 and feed members 10 and 10 is cancelled or the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 a is held again. The drive slider 25 is unlocked so as to bemovable only in the transportation mode.

Therefore, in the operation modes other than the transportation mode,the restricting wall 75 of the operating gear 74 serves as restrictingmeans for restricting the movement of the drive slider 25.

In the disc loading device 1, since the drive slider 25 is locked so asnot to be movable in the operation modes other than the transportationmode, it is possible to reliably prevent improper insertion of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 in the operation modes other than thetransportation mode.

In the insertion restricting means 77, since the backward pushingoperation performed on the push protrusion 87 a by the pushing pin 76 iscancelled, the restricting lever 79 is rotated in the direction ofupward movement of the engaging protrusions 84 a and 84 a by the forceof the compression spring 88, causing the restricting pin 89 to moveupward by the biasing force of the compression spring 88, so that theupper end of the restricting pin 89 is disposed in front of the discinsertion slot 2 a (see FIG. 43). Therefore, in the ascending/descendingmode, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a cannot be inserted into ortaken out of the disc insertion slot 2 a. At this time, the protrusion87 of the operating lever 80 is pushed forward by the push pin 84 b ofthe restricting lever 79, so that the protrusion 87 extends in theleftward/rightward direction (see FIGS. 42 and 43).

The disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is incapable of being insertedinto or taken out of the disc insertion slot 2 a not only in theascending/descending mode but also in the accommodation/take-out mode inwhich the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported between thereproducing unit 3 and the stocker 4, in the chucking mode in which thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a transported to the reproducing unit 3is chucked or unchucked, and the disc holding canceling mode in whichthe holding of the chucked disc-shaped recording medium 200 a by thefeed rollers 9 and 9 and feed members 10 and 10 is cancelled or thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a is held again. The unrestricted statein which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is capable of beinginserted into or taken out of the disc insertion slot 2 a is set only inthe transportation mode.

In the disc loading device 1, since the drive slider 25 is set in thelocked state as mentioned above, it is possible to prevent thetransportation of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a in the modesother than the transportation mode. When the locked state is only set,the disc-shaped recording medium 200 can be inserted from the discinsertion slot 2 a until the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a comes into contact with the first feed roller 9 aand the first feed member 10 a. At this time, for example, when adisc-shaped recording medium 200 exists at the reproducing unit 3, theouter peripheral portion of the disc-shaped recording medium 200existing at the reproducing unit 3 and the outer peripheral portion ofthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 that one is trying to insert fromthe disc insertion slot 2 a come into contact with each other. This maydamage the disc-shaped recording media 200.

Therefore, in the disc loading device 1, the drive slider 25 is set inthe locked state and at the same time a restricted state is set in whichthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 is incapable of being inserted intoand taken out of the disc insertion slot 2 a in order to prevent theinsertion of the outer peripheral portion of the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 from the disc insertion slot 2 a (see FIG. 44).

Accordingly, when the locked state is set, the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 cannot be inserted at the same time from the disc insertionslot 2 a. Therefore, the outer peripheral portion of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is prevented from being inserted from the discinsertion slot 2 a. Consequently, even if another disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 exists near the disc insertion slot 2 a during reproduction,it is possible to prevent the disc-shaped recording media 200 and 200from contacting each other.

In the ascending/descending mode, the mode slider 91 is disposed at therearward movement end as in the transportation mode (see FIG. 42).

As in the transportation mode, the base unit 102 is inclined withrespect to the base chassis 15 while the disc table 108 is disposed atthe lower movement end.

When the ascending/descending mode described above has been set, theascending/descending motor 168 is rotated so that a predetermined discaccommodation portion 181 selected by the operation of the accommodationknob is moved to an accommodation/take-out position.

When the ascending/descending motor 168 is rotated, as described above,the rotary cams 176, 176, and 176 are rotated in a direction inaccordance with the direction of rotation of the ascending/descendingmotor 168, so that the locations of the guide protrusions 179 a, 179 a,and 179 a of the stocker 4 change with respect to the cam grooves 177,177, and 177, causing the stocker 4 to be raised or lowered. Forexample, when the selected disc accommodation portion 181 is disposed atthe uppermost end, the stocker 4 is moved to the lower movement end, sothat the disc accommodation portion 181 is disposed directly behind thesixth feed roller 9 k and the sixth feed member 10 k, that is, at theaccommodation/take-out position (see FIG. 45). When the selected discaccommodation portion 181 is disposed at the lowest end, the stocker 4is moved to the upper movement end in order to dispose the discaccommodation portion 181 at the accommodation/take-out position (seeFIG. 46).

Since, as described above, the stocker 4 is raised and lowered byrotating the rotary cams 176, 176, and 176, differences in the precisionof the stopping position of the stocker 4 caused by backlash between arack and an ascending/descending gear, which are used to raise and lowerthe stocker, do not occur, so that it is possible to increase theprecision of the stopping position of the stocker 4.

Even if the guide protrusions 179 a, 179 a, 179 a of the stocker 4engage any non-operating portions 177 a, 177 a, and 177 a of the rotarycams 176, 176, and 176, the stocker 4 is stopped, so that it is notnecessary to strictly set the precision of control of the rotation ofthe rotary cams 176, 176, and 176. Therefore, it is possible tofacilitate the control of the rotation of the ascending/descending motor168 by the rotary encoder 174.

When the predetermined disc accommodation portion 181 has been disposedat the accommodation/take-out position by raising or lowering thestocker 4 as mentioned above, the mode motor 61 is rotated in order toset the transportation mode. When the transportation mode is set, asdescribed above, the unlocked state is set by disposing the insertioncut portion 75 a of the operating gear 74 to the left of the supportingshaft 135 supported by the drive slider 25 of the first sliding means24, and the unrestricted state is set by lowering the restricting pin 89(see FIGS. 39 and 40).

When the transportation mode has been set, the drive motor 110 isrotated in one direction. When the drive motor 110 is rotated in onedirection, as described above, the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i,and 9 k are rotated counterclockwise in plan view.

When a disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is inserted from the discinsertion slot 2 a, the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a is pushed against the feed roller 9 a and thefeed roller 10 a, and the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is pulledinto the housing 2 by the rotation of the feed roller 9 a (see FIG. 47).As the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a gets pulled in, the feedroller 9 a rolls on the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a.

As the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a gets pulled in, the distancebetween the feed roller 9 a and the feed member 10 a changes constantlyin accordance with the location of the disc-shaped recording medium 200a being pulled in, so that the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26of the first sliding means 24 slides away from each other with respectto the supporting chassis 14 so as to oppose the force of the spring 27(see FIG. 47). While the inclination angle between the rotary member 130and the rotary lever 131 of the first rotary mechanism 129 changes, thesupporting shaft 135 is moved in the leftward/rightward direction bybeing guided in the guide hole 15 m formed in the base chassis 15.

As the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a gets pulled in, and the driveslider 25 and the driven slider 26 further slide away from each other soas to oppose the force of the spring 27, the pushing protrusion 26 b ofthe driven slider 26 pushes the push protrusion 31 c of the drivenslider 31 of the second sliding means 29. The sliding of the driveslider 25 and the driven slider 26 causes the drive slider 30 and thedriven slider 31 to slide away from each other (see FIG. 48). When thedrive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 start sliding, the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is not incontact with the feed roller 9 c and the feed member 10 c.

When the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26 further slide awayfrom each other so as to oppose the force of the spring 27, the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a istransferred from the first feed roller 9 a and the first feed member 10a to the second feed roller 9 c and the second feed member 10 c (seeFIG. 49). When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is to betransferred, the first feed roller 9 a, the second feed roller 9 c, thefirst feed member 10 a, and the second feed member 10 c are in contactwith the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 a.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is further pulled in, thedrive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 further slide away from eachother so as to oppose the force of the spring 32, whereas the driveslider 25 and the driven slider 26 slide towards each other by the forceof the spring 27 (see FIG. 50).

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is further pulled in, theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a comeinto contact with the first restricting roller 37 and the secondrestricting roller 41 supported at the respective first slider 35 andsecond slider 36 of the third sliding means 34 (see FIG. 51).

As the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is pulled in, the first slider35 and the second slider 36 slide away from each other, and thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transferred from the second feedroller 9 c and the second feed member 10 c to the third feed roller 9 eand the third feed member 10 e (see FIG. 52). When the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a is transferred, the first feed roller 9 a, thethird feed roller 9 e, the first restricting roller 37, the first feedmember 10 a, the third feed member 10 e, and the second restrictingroller 41 are in contact with the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a. Even if the first restricting roller37 and the second restricting roller 41 are in contact with the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a, they idlewith respect to the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a, so that they do not operate as means fortransporting the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transferred to the thirdfeed roller 9 e and the third feed member 10 e, and is further pulledin, the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200a comes into contact with the fourth feed roller 9 g and the fourth feedmember 10 g (see FIG. 53). At this time, the first feed roller 9 a andthe first feed member 10 a separate from the outer peripheral surface ofthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 a, so that the third feed roller 9e, the fourth feed roller 9 g, the first restricting roller 37, thethird feed member 10 e, the fourth feed member 10 g, and the secondrestricting roller 41 are in contact with the outer peripheral surfaceof the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.

When the fourth feed roller 9 g and the fourth feed member 10 g comeinto contact with the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a, the rotation of the drive motor 110 istemporarily stopped. At this time, the center hole of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a is disposed substantially right above the disctable 108, and is held at a location where it can be mounted to the disctable 108 (see FIG. 53).

When the rotation of the drive motor 110 has been stopped, the modemotor 61 is rotated. The mode motor 61 is rotated in the direction inwhich the cam 67 is rotated in the direction R2 shown in FIG. 42.

When the cam 67 is rotated by the rotation of the mode motor 61, one ofthe operating pins 67 b is inserted into the operation groove 70 d ofthe Geneva driven gear 69 (see Fig. 54). When the operating pin 67 b isinserted into the operation groove 70 d, the Geneva driven gear 69 isrotated, causing the mode slider 91 to move forward through the couplinggear 72.

The Geneva driven gear 69 is rotated through an angle of 90 degrees bythe rotation of the cam 67 by the time the operating pin 67 b is movedout of the operation groove 70 d, so that the rotation of the mode motor61 is stopped when the rib 67 c of the cam 67 comes into contact with oris disposed close to the wall 70 b of the Geneva driven gear 69.

When the rotation of the mode motor 61 is stopped, the cam protrudingpin 104 b of the base unit 102 engages an end at the inclined portion 68b side of the lower horizontal portion 68 a defining the groove 68 ofthe cam 67.

When the mode slider 91 is moved forward, the cam protrusion 101separates from the supporting shaft 166 of the fourth rotary mechanism156, and the supporting shaft 166 comes into sliding contact with theintermediate linear portion 99 c through the front inclined portion 99 bfrom the front linear portion 99 a. Therefore, the drive slider 49 andthe driven slider 50 of the fifth sliding means 48 move towards eachother (see FIG. 55). The fifth sliding means 48 is such that therestricting portion 50 f of the driven slider 50 contacts therestricting portion 49 b of the drive slider 49 of the fifth slidingmeans 48 by the force of the spring 51, and that the drive slider 49 andthe driven slider 50 are disposed at the movement ends in the directionsin which they move towards each other. Therefore, the fifth feed roller9 i and the sixth feed roller 9 k, supported at the drive slider 49, andthe fifth feed member 10 i and the sixth feed member 10 k, mounted tothe driven slider 50, are held at the movement ends in the directions inwhich they move towards each other.

The mode slider 91 is stopped with the guide shafts 94, 94, and 94 beingdisposed in substantially the central portions of the respectivesupporting holes 15 l, 15 l, and 15 l of the base chassis 15 in theforward/backward direction, and the accommodation/take-out mode is setfor carrying out transportation of the disc-shaped recording medium 200a between the reproducing unit 3 and the stocker 4 (see FIG. 56). Atthis time, the supporting shaft 164 of the fourth rotary mechanism 156engages the intermediate linear portion 99 c of the fourth cam wall 99.

When the accommodation/take-out mode has been set, the drive motor 110is rotated again in one direction. When the drive motor 110 is rotatedin one direction, the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k arerotated counterclockwise in plan view.

In the accommodation/take-out mode, since the third feed roller 9 e, thefourth feed roller 9 g, the third feed member 10 e, and the fourth feedmember 10 g are in contact with the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a, the disc-shaped recording medium 200a is pulled in by the rotation of the third feed roller 9 e and thefourth feed roller 9 g, and is transported towards the stocker 4.

As the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a gets pulled in, the driveslider 44 and the driven slider 45 of the fourth sliding means 43 slideaway from each other so as to oppose the force of the spring 46, whereasthe drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 of the second sliding means29 slide in the directions in which they contact each other by the forceof the spring 32 (see FIG. 57).

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is further pulled in, theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 aseparates from the drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 of thesecond sliding means 29. Then, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a ispulled in only by the rotation of the fourth feed roller 9 g supportedby the drive slider 44 of the fourth sliding means 43 (see FIG. 58). Atthis time, the first slider 35 and the second slider 36 of the thirdsliding means 34 slide in the directions in which they contact eachother by the force of the spring 40.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is further pulled in, theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a comesinto contact with the fifth feed roller 9 i and the fifth feed member 10i. Then, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported towardsthe stocker 4 by the rotation of the fourth feed roller 9 g and thefifth feed roller 9 i (see FIG. 59). At this time, the drive slider 44and the driven slider 45 of the fourth sliding means 43 slide in thedirections in which they contact each other by the force of the spring46.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is further pulled in, thedrive slider 49 and the driven slider 50 of the fifth sliding means 48slide away from each other so as to oppose the force of the spring 51.Then, the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 a is transported towards the stocker 4 only by the rotation of thefifth feed roller 9 i (see FIG. 60). At this time, since the stoppers 55and 55 come into sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface ofthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 a, the movable levers 53 and 53supported by the supporting chassis 14 are slightly rotated away fromeach other so as to oppose the force of the torsional coil springs 54and 54.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is further pulled in, theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 aseparates from the fifth feed roller 9 i and the fifth feed member 10 i.Then, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is pulled in only by therotation of the sixth feed roller 9 k (see FIG. 61).

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported towards thestocker 4 from the reproducing unit 3 as mentioned above, the outerperipheral edge, that is, the portion other than the recording surface,of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is moved while it is disposedclose to or is in contact with the receivers 23 b and 23 b of the discguides 23 and 23 disposed at the lower surface of the supporting chassis14 and the disc guides 15 t and 15 t disposed at the upper surface ofthe base chassis 15 (see FIG. 62). Therefore, it is possible to morereliably transport the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a by preventingthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 a from being tilted during thetransportation. In addition, since the portion other than the recordingsurface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is in contact with thedisc guides 23 and 23 and the disc guides 15 t and 15 t, it is possibleto prevent damage to the recording surface.

In the disc loading device 1, since the disc guides 23 and 23 and thedisc guides 15 t and 15 t support the disc-shaped recording medium 200 ain the thickness direction, it is possible to reliably prevent tiltingof the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.

In the disc loading device 1, although the disc guides 23 and 23 and thedisc guides 15 t and 15 t are provided for preventing the tilting of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a that is being transported between thereproducing unit 3 and the stocker 4, disc guides may also be providedat the supporting chassis 14 and the base chassis 15 for preventing thetilting of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a that is beingtransported between the disc insertion slot 2 a and the reproducing unit3.

The disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is accommodated in a discaccommodation portion 181 of the stocker 4 by being pulled in only bythe rotation of the sixth feed roller 9 k (see FIG. 63). When thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a is accommodated in the discaccommodation portion 181, the rotation of the drive motor 110 isstopped.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is accommodated in the discaccommodation portion 181, the force of the spring 51 for biasing thedrive slider 49 and the driven slider 50 towards each other causes thesixth feed roller 9 k and the sixth feed member 10 k to elasticallycontact the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 a (see FIG. 64). Therefore, the sixth feed roller 9 k and the sixthfeed member 10 k prevent the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a frombecoming dislodged from the disc accommodation portion 181. At thistime, the movable levers 53 and 53 are disposed at rotational ends inthe directions in which they move towards each other, and the stoppers55 and 55 are in contact with or are disposed close to the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is accommodated in the discaccommodation portion 181 as described above, operating an eject knob(not shown) causes the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a to betransported to the disc insertion slot 2 a from the stocker 4 asfollows. Since the transportation of the disc-shaped recording medium200 a from the stocker 4 to the disc insertion slot 2 a is achieved bycarrying out the above-described operation for transporting thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a from the disc insertion slot 2 a tothe stocker 4 in the reverse order, it will be simply described.

When the eject knob is operated, the accommodation/take-out mode is set,and the drive motor 110 rotates in the other direction that is oppositeto the aforementioned direction. When the drive motor 110 is rotated inthe other direction, the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 kare rotated clockwise in plan view.

When the drive motor 110 is rotated, the rotation of the sixth feedroller 9 k causes the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a to be taken outfrom the disc accommodation portion 181 and to be transported towardsthe reproducing unit 3.

The disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported to the reproducingunit 3 by being transferred from the sixth feed roller 9 k and the sixthfeed member 10 k to the fourth feed roller 9 g and the fourth feedmember 10 g and then to the third feed roller 9 e and the third feedmember 10 e via the fifth feed roller 9 i and the fifth feed member 10i. When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported to thereproducing unit 3, the rotation of the drive motor 110 is temporarilystopped, after which the mode motor 61 is rotated in order to move themode slider 91 backwards and set the transportation mode. When thetransportation mode is set, as described above, the insertion cutportion 75 a of the operation gear 74 is disposed to the left of thesupporting shaft 135 supported at the drive slider 25 of the firstsliding means 24 in order to set the unlocked state, and the restrictingpin 89 is lowered in order to set the unrestricted state (see FIGS. 39and 40).

When the transportation mode is set, the rotation of the mode motor 61is stopped, and the drive motor 110 is re-rotated in the other directionin order to re-rotate the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 kclockwise in plan view.

The disc-shaped recording medium 200 a protrudes from the front side ofthe disc insertion slot 2 a by being transferred from the fourth feedroller 9 g and the fourth feed member 10 g to the first feed roller 9 aand the first feed member 10 a via the third feed roller 9 e and thethird feed member 10 e and the second feed roller 9 c and the secondfeed member 10 c. By holding and pulling out the protruding disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a can betaken out of the housing 200 a.

In the disc loading device 1, as mentioned above, the diameter of theportion of the fifth feed roller 9 i that comes into contact with theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a issmaller than those of the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, and 9 g and thefeed members 10 a, 10 c, 10 e, and 10 g. Therefore, when the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is transported towards the stocker 4 from thereproducing unit 3, the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 that has been moved towards the stocker 4 by therotation of the fifth feed roller 9 i reliably contacts the sixth feedroller 9 k before it comes into contact with the sixth feed member 10 k(see FIG. 65). In this way, since the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 moved by the rotation of the fifth feedroller 9 i is always in contact with the sixth feed roller 9 k, forexample, even if the diameter of the portion of the sixth feed roller 9k that comes into contact with the disc-shaped recording medium 200 achanges due to wearing with time or the fifth feed roller 9 i, the fifthfeed member 10 i, the sixth feed roller 9 k, and the sixth feed member10 k are slightly displaced from their design positions due to, forexample, dimensional manufacturing errors, the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 is reliably transferred from the fifth feed roller 9 i to thesixth feed roller 9 k. Therefore, it is possible to more reliablytransport the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

In the disc loading device 1, as described above, the diameter of theportion of the fifth feed roller 9 i that comes into contact with theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 issmaller than those of the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, and 9 g, and thefeed members 10 a, 10 c, 10 e, and 10 g. In order to reliably transferthe disc-shaped recording medium 200, the transportation may be reliablyperformed as follows when, of the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i,and 9 k and the feed members 10 a, 10 c, 10 e, 10 g, 10 i, and 10 k, thefeed rollers 9 and 9 and the feed members 10 and 10 that surround thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 are represented as an mth feed rollerand an mth feed member if they transfer the disc-shaped recording mediumand as an (m+1)th feed roller and an (m+1)th feed member if they receivethe disc-shaped recording medium 200.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is transported towards thestocker 4 from the disc insertion slot 2 a, it is possible for thediameter of the (m+1)th feed member 10 to be smaller than the diametersof the mth feed roller 9, the (m+1)th feed roller 9, and the mth feedmember 10 (see FIG. 66), or the diameter of the mth feed member 10 to belarger than the diameters of the mth feed roller 9, the (m+1)th feedroller 9, and the (m+1)th feed member 10 (see FIG. 67), or the diameterof the (m+1)th feed roller 9 to be larger than the diameters of the mthfeed roller 9, the mth feed member 10, and the (m+1)th feed member 10(see FIG. 68).

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is transported towards thedisc insertion slot 2 a from the stocker 4, it is possible for thediameter of the mth feed roller 9 to be smaller than the diameters ofthe (m+1)th feed roller 9, the mth feed member 10, and the (m+1)th feedmember 10, or the diameter of the (m+1)th feed member 10 to be smallerthan the diameters of the mth feed roller 9, the (m+1)th feed roller 9,and the mth feed member 10, or the diameter of the (m+1)th feed roller 9to be larger than the diameters of the mth feed roller 9, the (m+1)thfeed member 10, and the mth feed member 10, or the diameter of the mthfeed member 10 to be larger than the diameters of the mth feed roller 9,the (m+1)th feed roller 9, and the (m+1)th feed member 10.

Even if the diameters are as mentioned above, the mth feed roller 9 andthe (m+1)th feed roller 9 reliably contact the outer peripheral surfaceof the disc-shaped recording medium 200, so that it is possible toreliably transport the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

As mentioned above, the diameters of the feed rollers 9 and 9 and thefeed members 10 and 10 that surround the disc-shaped recording medium200 that is being transported may be changed. When the feed roller 9,the feed member 10, the first restricting roller 37, and the secondrestricting roller 42 are disposed so as to surround the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 that is being transported, in order to eliminatethe problem that the disc-shaped recording medium 200 cannot betransported when the feed roller 9 does not contact the outer peripheralsurface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 though the feed member10, the first restricting roller 37, and the second restricting roller42 contact the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200, it is possible for the feed roller 9 to always contact theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 bychanging the diameter of the first restricting roller 37 or the secondrestricting roller 42.

When, as described above, the diameter of at least one of the feedrollers 9 or the feed members 10 is different from those of theremaining feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10, it is possible tocouple at least the mth feed roller 9 and the (m+1)th feed roller 9 orthe mth feed member 10 and the (m+1)th feed member 10 by a predeterminedlinking means, tilt the linking means with respect to the transportationdirection of the disc-shaped recording medium 200, and to make adistance Lm+1 between the (m+1)th feed roller 9 and feed member 10greater than a distance Lm between the mth feed roller 9 and feed member10 (see FIG. 69).

When the distance Lm+1 is greater than the distance Lm, as describedabove, the contact angle θ (see FIG. 37) when the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 is transferred to the feed roller 9 and the feed member 10 issmall. Therefore, the feed roller 9 and the feed member 10 do not slidewith respect to the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200, so that the disc-shaped recording medium 200 canbe reliably transported. In addition, the force for transporting thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 is small, so that it is possible to usethe drive motor 110 providing a small drive force.

In the disc loading device 1, for example, the second feed roller 9 cand the third feed roller 9 e are coupled by the second rotary lever 140serving as the linking means, and the fifth feed roller 9 i and thesixth feed roller 9 k are coupled by the second rotary lever 160 servingas the linking means.

In the disc loading device 1, when the disc-shaped recording medium 200is transferred from the mth feed roller 9 to the (m+1) th feed roller 9,and the feed speed of the mth feed roller 9 in the transportationdirection is A and the feed speed of the (m+1)th feed roller 9 in thetransportation direction is B, the feed speed B may be equal to orgreater than the feed speed A. The feed speeds A and B may be set by,for example, changing the diameters of the gears for transmitting thedrive force of the drive motor 110 to the feed rollers 9 or controllingby a microcomputer.

By setting the feed speed B equal to or greater than the feed speed A inthis way, when the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is transferred fromthe feed roller 9 to the next feed roller 9, the rotation of thereceiving feed roller 9 does not become a load on the feed operation ofthe transferring feed roller 9, so that the transportation efficiencycan be increased.

In the disc loading device 1, as described above, when the drive slider25 and the driven slider 26 of the first sliding means 24 slide awayfrom each other so as to oppose the force of the spring 27 by theinsertion of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 from the discinsertion slot 2 a, the pushing protrusion 26 b of the driven slider 26pushes the push protrusion 31 c of the driven slider 31 of the secondsliding means 29. When the drive slider 25 and the driven slider 26slide, the drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 slide away from eachother (see FIG. 48). Therefore, when the disc-shaped recording medium200 contacts the second feed roller 9 c, the third feed roller 9 e, thesecond feed member 10 c, and the third feed member 10 e, supported bythe drive slider 30, the distance between the second feed roller 9 c andthe second feed member 10 c and the distance between the third feedroller 9 e and the third feed member 10 e are large, and the contactangle θ (see FIG. 37) is small. Therefore, the second feed roller 9 c,the third feed roller 9 e, the second feed member 10 c, and the thirdfeed member 10 e do not slide with respect to the outer peripheralsurface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200, so that it is possibleto reliably transport the disc-shaped recording medium 200. In addition,since the force for transporting the disc-shaped recording medium 200 issmall, it is possible to use the drive motor 110 providing a small driveforce. Further, when the disc-shaped recording medium 200 istransported, the feed roller 9 and the feed member 10, which aredisposed on the left and right, move away from each other in accordancewith the transportation position of the disc-shaped recording medium200, so that it is possible to increase the distances between the feedrollers 9 and between the feed members 10 in the transportationdirection.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts accordingly.

In the disc loading device 1, although the sliding of the drive slider25 and the driven slider 26 causes the drive slider 30 and the drivenslider 31 to slide away from each other, it is also possible for thesliding of transferring drive sliders 25, 30, 44, and 49, first slider35, driven sliders 26, 31, 45, and 50, and second slider 36, whichtransfer the disc-shaped recording medium 200 in the transportationdirection, to cause sliding of receiving drive sliders 25, 30, 44, and49 and driven sliders 26, 31, 45, and 50, which receive the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 in the transportation direction.

Although, in the foregoing description, the sliding of the transferringdrive sliders 25, 30, 44, and 49, first slider 35, driven sliders 26,31, 45, and 50, and second slider 36, which transfer the disc-shapedrecording medium 200, causes the receiving drive sliders 25, 30, 44, and49 and driven sliders 26, 31, 45, and 50, which receive the disc-shapedrecording medium 200, to slide away from each other, the following ispossible. In this example, a pair of operating members 183 and 183 areused to slide the receiving driven sliders 26, 31, 45, and 50 and thedrive sliders 25, 30, 44, and 49, which receive the disc-shapedrecording medium 200, away from each other (see FIGS. 70 and 71).

The operating members 183 and 183 are, for example, in the form of roundshafts connected to the feed roller 9 and the feed member 10 throughconnectors 184 and 184. The operating members 183 and 183 are disposedcloser to the disc-shaped recording medium 200 being transported thanthe feed roller 9 and the feed member 10 (see FIG. 70). When thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 is being transported, the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 first comesinto contact with the operating members 183 and 183 (see dotted lines inFIG. 71). When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is furthertransported, the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 pushes the operating members 183 and 183, causing theoperating members 183 and 183 and the feed roller 9 and the feed member10 to move away from each other. This causes the drive slider and thedriven slider to slide away from each other, so that the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is in contact with the feed roller 9, the feedmember 10, and the operating members 183 and 183 (see solid lines inFIG. 71). When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 is furthertransported, its outer peripheral surface separates from the operatingmembers 183 and 183 and pushes the feed roller 9 and the feed member 10away from each other. The disc-shaped recording medium 200 istransported by the rotation of the feed roller 9 (see alternate long andtwo short dash lines in FIG. 71).

In this way, even if the receiving drive slider and the driven sliderslide away from each other by the operating members 183 and 183, whenthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 contact the feed roller 9 and thefeed member 10, the distance between the feed roller 9 and the feedmember 10 is large and the contact angle θ (see FIG. 37) is small.Therefore, it is possible to reliably transport the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 and to use the drive motor 110 providing a smalldrive force.

In the disc loading device 1, when the diameters of the mth feed roller9 and the (m+1)th feed roller 9 are different, and the rotating speedsper unit time of the mth feed roller 9 and the (m+1)th feed roller 9 tobe different, it is possible for the speed in the transportationdirection to be constant when the disc-shaped recording medium 200 isbeing transferred from the mth feed roller 9 to the (m+1)th feed roller9. In this case, it is possible to reduce the load on the feedingoperation of the transferring feed roller 9 during the transfer and toincrease the transportation efficiency with simple means. In addition,since the diameters of the feed rollers 9 are different, it is possibleto increase the design freedom and to reduce the size of the discloading device 1 by reducing the diameter of the feed roller 9.

In the disc loading device 1, as described above, when the sliding means24, 29, 34, 43, and 48 slide during the transportation, portions of thesprings 27, 32, 40, 46, and 51 expand or contact in the spaces ofmovement of the sliding means 24, 29, 34, 43, and 48. Therefore, spacesspecially for expanding and contracting the springs 27, 32, 40, 46, and51 are not required, so that it is possible to reduce the size of thedisc loading device 1 by effectively using the space.

Since the springs 27, 32, 40, 46, and 51 are tightly stretched betweenthe supporting chassis 14 and the respective sliders 25, 31, 35, 44, and49, it is possible to reduce the stretching and contraction amounts ofthe springs 27, 32, 40, 46, and 51 compared to the case in which thesprings 27, 32, 40, 46, and 51 are stretched tightly between the sliders25 and 26, between the sliders 30 and 31, between the sliders 35 and 36,between the sliders 44 and 45, and between the sliders 49 and 50,respectively. Therefore, it is possible to increase the freedom withwhich springs are selected and to increase the design freedom.

Since the springs 27, 46, and 51 are supported at the drive sliders 25,44, and 49 supporting the feed rollers 9 a, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k, when thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 contacts the feed rollers 9 a, 9 g, 9i, and 9 k and the drive sliders 25, 44, and 49 slide, it is possible toreduce backlash between the pinions 28, 47, and 52 and the respectiveracks 25 e, 44 e, and 49 f compared to the case in which the springs 27,46, and 51 are supported at the driven sliders 26, 45, and 50.

In the second sliding means 29, the spring 32 may be supported at thedrive slider 30 instead of at the driven slider 31.

In the disc loading device 1, four rotary mechanisms 129, 136, 148, and156 are provided and made rotatable by the rotary member 130 and therotary lever 131, the rotary member 137 and the rotary levers 138 and140, the rotary member 149 and the rotary lever 15 o, and the rotarymember 157 and the rotary levers 158 and 160, respectively. Therefore,the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k supported at therespective rotary mechanisms 129, 136, 148, and 156 can move in adirection substantially perpendicular to the transportation direction ofthe disc-shaped recording medium 200, so that the feed rollers 9 and thefeed members 10 can nip the disc-shaped recording medium 200 fromopposite sides at an angle of 180 degrees from each other.

In the rotary mechanisms 129, 136, 148, and 156, the drive force of thedrive motor 110 is transmitted to the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9i, and 9 k via the transmission gears 133 and 134, the transmissiongears 142, 143, 145, 145, and 145, the transmission gears 152 and 153,and the transmission gears 162, 162, 165, 165, and 165, respectively.Therefore, the drive force is transmitted to all of the feed rollers 9a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k by using one drive motor 110, so that itis possible to simplify the mechanisms and to reduce the number ofparts.

In the disc loading device 1, the four rotary mechanisms 129, 136, 148,and 156 are provided, and torques are generated in predetermineddirections at the rotary levers 131, 138, 140, 150, 158, and 160 inaccordance with the rotational directions of the fulcra gears 115, thetransmission gears 133 and 134, the transmission gears 142, 143, 145,145, and 145, the transmission gears 152 and 153, and the transmissiongears 162, 163, 165, 165, and 165, and the relationship between thepositions of the rotary member 130 and the rotary lever 131, the rotarymember 137 and the rotary levers 138 and 140, the rotary member 149 andthe rotary lever 150, and the rotary member 157 and the rotary levers158 and 160.

In the state in which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 istransported towards the stocker 4 from the disc insertion slot 2 a, whenthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200that is being transported contacts the feed rollers 9, the contact ofthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 is a load on the rotations of thefeed rollers 9, so that the following torques are generated. Thedirection of torque is clockwise at the rotary lever 131 of the firstrotary mechanism 129 in plan view, is clockwise at the first rotarylever 138 and the second rotary lever 140 of the second rotary mechanism136 in plan view, is counterclockwise at the rotary lever 150 of thethird rotary mechanism 148 in plan view, and is counterclockwise at thefirst rotary lever 158 and the second rotary lever 160 of the fourthrotary mechanism 156 in plan view. Therefore, when the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 is being transported towards the stocker 4 from thedisc-shaped insertion slot 2 a by the torques, moving forces are appliedto the first feed roller 9 a, the second feed roller 9 c, and the thirdfeed roller 9 e in a direction in which they move away from the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200, and movingforces are applied to the fourth feed roller 9 g, the fifth feed roller9 i, and the sixth feed roller 9 k in a direction in which they movetowards the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200.

In the state in which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 istransported towards the disc insertion slot 2 a from the stocker 4, whenthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200that is being transported contacts the feed rollers 9, the contact ofthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 is a load on the rotations of thefeed rollers 9, so that the following torques are generated. Thedirections of the torques are opposite to those mentioned above. By thetorques, moving forces are applied to the first feed roller 9 a, thesecond feed roller 9 c, and the third feed roller 9 e in a direction inwhich they move towards the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200, and moving forces are applied to the fourth feedroller 9 g, the fifth feed roller 9 i, and the sixth feed roller 9 k ina direction in which they move away from the outer peripheral surface ofthe disc-shaped recording medium 200.

In the disc loading device 1, as described above, torques ofpredetermined directions are generated at the rotary levers 131, 138,140, 150, 158, and 160 in accordance with the transportation directionof the disc-shaped recording medium 200, so that moving forces areapplied to the feed rollers 9 in the direction in which they move awayfrom the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200. When the moving forces applied to the feed rollers 9 in a directionin which they move away from the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 is large, a predetermined frictionforce cannot be generated between the feed rollers 9 and the disc-shapedrecording medium 200. This may hinder the transportation. Therefore, inthe disc loading device 1, two means for producing predeterminedfriction forces, such as those described below, are used.

First means is used to reduce the rotational speeds of the feed rollers9 by the first transmission gears 133, 142, 152, and 162 serving asreduction gears in the respective rotary mechanisms 129, 136, 148, and156. By reducing the rotational speeds of the feed rollers 9, thetorques generated when the disc-shaped recording medium 200 contacts thefeed rollers 9 become small, so that the moving forces applied to thefeed rollers 9 in a direction in which they move away from the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 become small,thereby making it possible to generate predetermined friction forcesbetween the feed rollers 9 and the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

Second means uses the biasing springs 147, 155, and 167 to push the feedrollers 9 at the rotary mechanisms 136, 148, and 156 against the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 that is beingtransported. In this way, by pushing the feed rollers 9 against theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 by thebiasing springs 147, 155, and 167, it is possible to generatepredetermined friction forces between the feed rollers 9 and thedisc-shaped recording medium 200.

In the disc loading device 1, although a biasing spring is not disposedto push the feed roller 9 a of the first rotary mechanism 129 againstthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200, abiasing spring may be disposed to push the feed roller 9 a against theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

(e) Reproducing Operation (Large-diameter Disc-shaped Recording Medium)

Next, the reproducing operation carried out by the reproducing unit 3 ona disc-shaped recording medium 200 a inserted from the disc insertionslot 2 a will be described (see FIGS. 72 to 80).

When an information signal recorded on the disc-shaped recording medium200 a is to be reproduced, a reproduction knob (not shown) is operated.When the reproduction knob is operated, the aforementionedtransportation mode is set. In the transportation mode, when thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a is inserted from the disc insertionslot 2 a, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported to thereproducing unit 3 by the same operation as that carried out fortransporting the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a from the discinsertion slot 2 a to the stocker 4 (see FIGS. 47 to 53).

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported to thereproducing unit 3, the rotation of the drive motor 110 is stopped. Whenthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 a has been transported to thereproducing unit 3, the third feed roller 9 e, the fourth feed roller 9g, the first restricting roller 37, the third feed member 10 e, thefourth feed member log, and the second restricting roller 41 contact theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a, andthe center hole of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is disposedsubstantially directly above the disc table 108 and is held at alocation where it can be mounted to the disc table 108 (see FIG. 53).

When the rotation of the drive motor 110 is stopped, the mode motor 61is rotated. The mode motor 61 is rotated in the direction causing thecam 67 to rotate in the rotational direction R2 shown in FIG. 39.

When the cam 67 rotates by the rotation of the mode motor 61, one of theoperating pins 67 b is inserted into the operation groove 70 d of theGeneva driven gear 69, and the Geneva driven gear 69 rotates through anangle of 90 degrees, so that the mode slider 91 moves forward throughthe coupling gear 72 (see FIG. 56).

The mode motor 61 continues rotating. When the mode motor 61 continuesrotating, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a that has beentransported to the reproducing unit 3 is set in the chucking mode inwhich chucking or unchucking is carried out. The rotation of the cam 67causes the cam protruding pin 104 b of the base unit 102 to move upwardstowards the upper horizontal portion 68 c from the lower horizontalportion 68 a defining the cam groove 68 via the inside of the obliqueportion 68 b (see FIG. 72). Since the cam protruding pin 104 b movesupward towards the upper horizontal portion 68 c from the inside of theoblique portion 68 b, the base unit 102 rotates in the direction ofupward movement of the disc table 108.

The cam 67 continues rotating by the rotation of the mode motor 61,causing the cam protruding pin 104 b to move to the upper horizontalportion 68 c defining the cam groove 68 (see FIG. 73). When the camprotruding pin 104 b moves to the upper horizontal portion 68 c definingthe cam groove 68, the centering protrusion 108 b of the disc table 108is inserted into the center hole of the disc-shaped recording medium 200a and the insertion recess 56 d of the chucking pulley 56. When thecentering protrusion 108 b of the disc table 108 is inserted in theinsertion recess 56 d of the chucking pulley 56, a magnetic metallicplate of the chucking pulley 56 is pulled by a magnet of the disc table108, so that the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is clamped betweenthe table body 108 a of the disc table 108 and the stabilizer 56 b ofthe chucking pulley 56, and is chucked (see FIG. 73). At this time, withthe operation portion 60 being engaged with the engaging lever 105 ofthe base unit 102, the lifting portions 59 and 59 of the detachingmember 57 supported at the supporting chassis 14 are disposed below theflange 56 a of the chucking pulley 56.

The mode motor 61 continues rotating, so that the cam protruding pin 104b moves in the upper horizontal portion 68 c defining the groove 68 ofthe cam 67. When the mode motor 61 continues rotating, the otheroperating pin 67 b is inserted into the operation groove 70 e of theGeneva driven gear 69, and the Geneva driven gear 69 rotates again, sothat the mode slider 91 moves further forward via the coupling gear 72(see FIG. 74).

When the mode slider 91 moves forward, the supporting shaft 144supporting the third feed roller 9 e comes into sliding contact with thefirst cam wall 96, the guide shaft 39 passing through the receivingmember 38 disposed under the first restricting roller 37 comes intosliding contact with the third cam wall 98, and the supporting shaft 164supporting the fifth feed roller 9 i comes into sliding contact with thefourth cam wall 99. At the same time, the operation portion 128 of theoperating lever 125 supported by the subchassis 120 is pushed forwardsby the pushing rib 100 (see FIG. 74).

At an initial stage in which the other operating pin 67 b is inserted inthe operation groove 70 e of the Geneva driven gear 69, the operatingpin 67 b moves in the operation groove 70 e towards the central portionof the Geneva driven gear 69 from the open end of the operation groove70 e. At this time, the supporting shaft 144 is in sliding contact withthe sharply inclining front portion 96 c of the first cam wall 96, theguide shaft 39 is in sliding contact with the sharply inclining frontportion 98 c of the third cam wall 98, and the supporting shaft 164 isin sliding contact with the sharply inclining front portion 99 i of thefourth cam wall 99 (see FIG. 74).

Next, at an intermediate stage in which the other operating pin 67 b isinserted in the operation groove 70 e of the Geneva driven gear 69, theoperating pin 67 b reciprocates at the central portion side of theGeneva driven gear 69 in the operation groove 70 e. At this time, thesupporting shaft 144 is in sliding contact with the gently incliningintermediate portion 96 d of the first cam wall 96, the guide shaft 39is in sliding contact with the gently inclining intermediate portion 98d of the third cam wall 98, and the supporting shaft 164 is in slidingcontact with the gently inclining intermediate portion 99 j of thefourth cam wall 99 (see FIG. 75).

Next, in a final stage in which the other operating pin 67 b is insertedin the operation groove 70 e of the Geneva driven gear 69, the operatingpin 67 b moves towards the open end from the central portion side of theGeneva driven gear 69 in the operation groove 70 e. At this time, thesupporting shaft 144 is in sliding contact with the sharply incliningback portion 96 e of the first cam wall 96, the guide shaft 39 is insliding contact with the sharply inclining back portion 98 e of thethird cam wall 98, and the supporting shaft 164 is in sliding contactwith the sharply inclining back portion 99 k of the fourth cam wall 99(see FIG. 76).

As described above, when the supporting shaft 144, the guide shaft 39,and the supporting shaft 164 come into sliding contact with therespective first cam wall 96, third cam wall 98, and fourth cam wall 99,the supporting shaft 144, the guide shaft 39, and the supporting shaft164 are guided by the guide slits 121 b, 121 c, and 121 d of thesubchassis 120, respectively, and move leftwards. By moving thesupporting shaft 144, the guide shaft 39, and the supporting shaft 164leftwards, the drive slider 30 of the second sliding means 29, the firstslider 35 of the third sliding means 34, and the drive slider 49 of thefifth sliding means 48 move leftwards, and the driven slider 31 of thesecond sliding means 29, the second slider 36 of the third sliding means34, and the driven slider 50 of the fifth sliding means 48 moverightwards in synchronism. Therefore, the second feed roller 9 c, thethird feed roller 9 e, the first restricting roller 37, the fifth feedroller 9 i, and the sixth feed roller 9 k move leftwards, and the secondfeed member 10 c, the third feed member 10 e, the second restrictingroller 41, the fifth feed member 10 i, and the sixth feed member 10 kmove rightwards.

When the mode slider 91 moves forward, at the same time, as describedabove, the operation portion 128 of the operating lever 125 supported atthe subchassis 120 is pushed forward by the pushing rib 100. When theoperation portion 128 of the operating lever 125 is pushed by thepushing rib 100, the operating lever 125 is rotated in the direction ofa substantially forward movement of the operation portion 128, so thatthe supporting shaft 154 inserted and supported in the supporting hole126 b is guided by the guide slit 121 c of the subchassis 120 and movesleftwards (see FIGS. 74 to 76). By moving the supporting shaft 154leftwards, the drive slider 44 of the fourth sliding means 43 movesleftwards, and the driven slider 45 moves rightwards in synchronism.Therefore, the fourth feed roller 9 g moves leftwards and the fourthfeed member 10 e moves rightwards.

As described above, the supporting shaft 154 moves leftwards by therotation of the operating lever 125 caused by the operation portion 128being pushed by the pushing rib 100. By moving the supporting shaft 154by the operating lever 125 that is rotated on the rotary supportingportion 126 a as a fulcrum as a result of pushing the operation portion128 in this way, it is possible to separate the fulcrum (rotationalsupporting portion 126 a) and a point where force is applied (operationportion 128) by a predetermined distance, so that the supporting shaft154 can be moved with a small force, thereby making it possible toreduce the drive force of the mode motor 61 for moving the mode slider91.

When the other operating pin 67 b of the cam 67 is moved out of theoperation groove 70 e of the Geneva driven gear 69, the Geneva drivengear 69 is rotated through an angle of 90 degrees, so that the modeslider 91 is moved to the forward movement end (see FIG. 77). By movingthe mode slider 91 to the forward movement end, the disc holdingcanceling mode in .which the holding of the chucked disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a by the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 iscancelled is set.

When the mode slider 91 is moved to the forward movement end, thesupporting protrusions 95 and 95 of the mode slider 91 clamp the supportportion 104 c of the base unit 102 in the vertical direction (see FIG.73). Therefore, the base unit 102 is stably held at the upper rotationalend. Consequently, in reproducing an information signal from thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a (the operation is described later),it is possible to prevent movement of the surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium, and thus to increase the reliability of thereproducing operation.

In the disc holding canceling mode, the supporting shaft 144 engages thelinear portion 96 b of the first cam wall 96, the guide shaft 39 engagesthe linear portion 98 b of the third cam wall 98, the supporting shaft164 engages the back linear portion 99 e of the fourth cam wall 99, andthe supporting shafts 154 and 166 are disposed at the leftward movementends (see FIG. 78). Therefore, the third feed roller 9 e, the fourthfeed roller 9 g, and the first restricting roller 37 are disposed at theleftward movement ends. At this time, the third feed member 10 e, thefourth feed member log, and the second restricting roller 41 aredisposed at the right movement ends.

In this way, by disposing the third feed roller 9 e, the fourth feedroller 9 g, and the first restricting roller 37 at the leftward movementends, they are separated from the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a, and by disposing the third feedmember 10 e, the fourth feed member 10 g, and the second restrictingroller 41 at the right movement ends, they are separated from the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a (see FIGS.78 and 79). Therefore, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is in astate in which it can smoothly rotate by the rotation of the disc table108.

As described above, when the other operating pin 67 b of the cam 67 isinserted in the operation groove 70 e of the Geneva driven gear 69, inthe initial and final stages, since the operating pin 67 b is pushed bya portion disposed at the outer peripheral portion side of the Genevadriven gear 69 of the walls defining the operation groove 70 e, the loadexerted upon the operating pin 67 b from the Geneva driven gear 69 issmall; and, in the intermediate stage, since the operating pin 67 b ispushed by a portion disposed at the central portion side of the Genevadriven gear 69 of the walls defining the operation groove 70 e, the loadexerted upon the operating pin 67 b from the Geneva driven gear 69 islarge.

Accordingly, in the disc loading device 1, in the initial and finalstages, as described above, the supporting shaft 144, the guide shaft39, and the supporting shaft 164 are brought into sliding contact withthe sharply inclining front portion 96 c or back portion 96 e of thefirst cam wall 96, the sharply inclining front portion 98 c or backportion 98 e of the third cam wall 98, and the sharply inclining frontportion 99 i or back portion 99 k of the fourth cam wall 99,respectively. In the intermediate stage, the supporting shaft 144, theguide shaft 39, and the supporting shaft 164 are brought into slidingcontact with the gently inclining intermediate portion 96 d of the firstcam wall 96, the gently inclining intermediate portion 98 d of the thirdcam wall 98, and the gently inclining intermediate portion 99 j of thefourth cam wall 99, respectively. (See FIGS. 74 to 76.) Therefore, it ispossible to reduce the load on the mode motor 61 by reducing the load onthe operating pin 67 b of the cam 67.

As described above, when the mode is switched to theaccommodation/take-out mode from the transportation mode or theascending/descending mode, one of the operating pins 67 b of the cam 67is inserted into the operation groove 70 d of the Geneva driven gear 69to rotate the Geneva driven gear 69 through an angle of 90 degrees. Thiscauses the mode slider 91 to move, causing the supporting shaft 164supporting the fifth feed roller 9 i to come into sliding contact withthe front inclined portion 99 b of the fourth cam wall 99 of the modeslider 91. Even in this operation, in the initial and final stages inwhich the operating pin 67 b is inserted in the operation groove 70 e,the supporting shaft 164 is in sliding contact with the sharplyinclining front portion 99 f or back portion 99 h. In the intermediatestage, the supporting shaft 164 is in sliding contact with the gentlyinclining intermediate portion 99 g. Therefore, even in this operation,the load on the operating pin 67 b of the cam 67 is reduced, so that itis possible to reduce the load on the mode motor 61.

In the disc loading device 1, as described above, when the operatingpins 67 b and 67 b of the cam 67 are inserted in the respectiveoperation grooves 70 d and 70 e of the Geneva driven gear 69, the Genevadriven gear 69 is rotated, causing the mode slider 91 to move in orderto set each operation mode. Therefore, since each operation mode is setby stopping the mode slider 91 as a result of moving the operating pins67 b and 67 b out of the operation grooves 70 d and 70 e, each operationmode is set if any one of the walls 70 a, 70 b, and 70 c of the Genevadriven gear 69 is disposed in correspondence with either of the ribs 67c and 67 c of the cam 67. Consequently, it is possible to increase theprecision of the stopping position of the mode slider 91 because thestopping position of the mode slider 91 does not depend greatly upon thestopping position of the mode motor 61. In particular, when, as with thedisc loading device 1, a device comprises a mechanism which transmitsthe drive force of the mode motor 61 to the mode slider 91 through aplurality of gears, such as the gear group 65, and which has a largebacklash between the gears, controlling the movement of the mode slider91 with the Geneva driven gear 69 is very effective in increasing theprecision of the stopping position of the mode slider 91.

When the disc holding canceling mode is set, the disc table 108 isrotated by the rotation of a spindle motor and the optical pickup 107 isoperated in order to perform a reproducing operation on the chuckeddisc-shaped recording medium 200 a. In the reproducing operation, thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a is irradiated with a laser beamemitted from a light-emitting device (not shown) of the optical pickup107 through the objective lens 107 a. The returning light impinges upona light-receiving device (not shown) of the optical pickup 107 throughthe objective lens 107 a in order to reproduce an information signalrecorded on the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.

In the state in which the information signal has been reproduced fromthe aforementioned disc-shaped recording medium 200 a, when the ejectknob (not shown) is operated, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a istransported from the reproducing unit 3 to the disc insertion slot 2 ain the following way. Since the operation for transporting thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a from the reproducing unit 3 to thedisc insertion slot 2 a is similar to the operation for transporting itfrom the disc insertion slot 2 a to the reproducing unit 3 described in“(d) Transporting Operation Between Disc Insertion Slot and Stocker,”the transporting operation will be simply described.

When the eject knob is operated, the mode motor 61 rotates in directionR1 shown in FIG. 77 and opposite to the aforementioned direction. Whenthe cam 67 rotates in the direction R1 by the rotation of the mode motor61, the mode slider 91 moves backwards, so that the supporting shaft 144supporting the third feed roller 9 e comes into sliding contact with theinclined portion 96 a from the linear portion 96 b of the first cam wall96, the guide shaft 39 passing through the receiving member 38 disposedbelow the first restricting roller 37 comes into sliding contact withthe inclined portion 98 a from the linear portion 98 b of the third camwall 98, and the supporting shaft 164 supporting the fifth feed roller 9i comes into sliding contact with the intermediate linear portion 99 cfrom the back linear portion 99 e of the fourth cam wall 99. Here, atthe same time, the pushing operation performed on the operation portion128 of the operating lever 125 supported by the subchassis 120 by thepushing rib 100 is cancelled. Therefore, the second feed roller 9 c, thethird feed roller 9 e, the fourth feed roller 9 g, the fifth feed roller9 i, the sixth feed roller 9 k, and the first restricting roller 37, andthe respective second feed member 10 c, third feed member 10 e, fourthfeed member 10 g, fifth feed member 10 i, sixth feed member 10 k, andsecond restricting roller 41 are moved towards each other by the springs32, 40, 46, and 51. Accordingly, the third feed roller 9 e, the fourthfeed roller 9 g, the first restricting roller 37, the third feed member10 e, the fourth feed member 10 g, and the second restricting roller 41contact the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200 a, and the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is held by the thirdfeed roller 9 e, the fourth feed roller 9 g, the third feed member 10 e,and the second feed member 10 g (see FIG. 53).

At this time, the cam protruding pin 104 b of the base unit 102 moves inthe upper horizontal portion 68 c defining the groove 68 of the cam 67towards the inclined portion 68 b.

The mode motor 61 continues rotating, so that the cam protruding pin 104b of the base unit 102 moves to the lower horizontal portion 68 a fromthe upper horizontal portion 68 c defining the groove 68 of the cam 67through the inclined portion 68 b. When the cam protruding pin 104 bmoves to the lower horizontal portion 68 a from the upper horizontalportion 68 c, the base unit 102 is rotated in the downward direction ofmovement of the disc table 108, so that the disc table 108 is disposedunder the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.

When the cam protruding pin 104 b of the base unit 102 starts movingtowards the inclined portion 68 b from the upper horizontal portion 68 cdefining the groove 68 of the cam 67, the magnetic metallic plate of thechucking pulley 56 is attracted to the magnet of the disc table 108, sothat the chucking pulley 56 tries to move downward by the rotation ofthe base unit 102. However, the engaging portion 105 b of the engaginglever 105 pushes the operation portion 60 of the detaching member 57 bythe rotation of the base unit 102 (see FIG. 80). Therefore, thedetaching member 57 rotates on the support pins 60 a and 60 a as fulcrain the upward direction of movement of the lifting portions 59 and 59,so that the flange 56 a of the chucking pulley 56 is lifted by thelifting portions 59 and 59.

By lifting the flange 56 a by the lifting portions 59 and 59, thechucking pulley 56 is separated upward from the disc table 108 (see FIG.80). In this way, since the chucking pulley 56 is forcefully separatedupward from the disc table 108 by the detaching member 57 when the baseunit 102 is rotating, it is possible to reliably unchuck the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a.

The mode motor 61 continues rotating to move the mode slider 91 to thebackward movement end, so that the transportation mode is set. When thetransportation mode is set, as described above, the insertion cutportion 75 a of the operating gear 74 is disposed to the left of thesupporting shaft 135 supported at the drive slider 25 of the firstsliding means 24, so that the unlocked state is set and the restrictingpin 89 moves downward to set the unrestricted state (see FIGS. 39 and40).

When the transportation mode is set, the rotation of the mode motor 61is stopped, and the drive motor 110 rotates in the other direction inorder to rotate the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 k againclockwise in plan view.

The disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transferred from the fourthfeed roller 9 g and the fourth feed member 10 g to the first feed roller9 a and the first feed member 10 a via the third feed roller 9 e, thethird feed member 10 e, the second feed roller 9 c, and the second feedmember 10 c, and protrudes forward from the disc insertion slot 2 a. Byholding and pulling out the protruding disc-shaped recording medium 200a, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is taken out of the housing 2.

(f) Exchanging Operation

Next, the exchanging of a predetermined disc-shaped recording medium 200a accommodated in the stocker 4 and a disc-shaped recording medium 200 amounted to the disc table 108 of the reproducing unit 3 when at leastone disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is accommodated in the stocker 4(see FIGS. 81 to 85) will be described.

As described above, when an information signal has been reproduced fromthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 a in the reproducing unit 3, inorder to carry out the exchanging operation, an exchange knob (notshown) is operated. At this time, the disc holding canceling mode isset. When the exchange knob is operated, the mode motor 61 is rotated inthe direction causing the cam 67 to rotate in the direction R2 shown inFIG. 77. The chucking of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a by thedisc table 108 and the chucking pulley 56 is cancelled by the sameoperation as that performed when the eject knob is operated (see FIG.80).

In the disc loading device 1, when the disc-shaped recording medium 200a has been unchucked, the disc accommodating portion 181 that does notaccommodate a disc-shaped recording medium 200 a of the stocker 4 ispositioned right behind the disc passage 182, that is, at theaccommodation/take-out position. In the case in which a discaccommodating portion 181 that does not accommodate a disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a does not exist, it is possible to, for example,indicate that a disc accommodating portion 181 that does not accommodatea disc-shaped recording medium 200 a does not exist on an indicator (notshown) of the disc loading device 1, so that the exchanging operation isnot carried out, when the exchange knob is operated.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is unchucked, the rotationof the mode motor 61 is temporarily stopped in order to stop the modeslider 91 at the substantially central portion of the movement range andto set the accommodation/take-out mode.

When the accommodation/take-out mode is set, the drive motor 110 isrotated, and, by an operation that is similar to that carried out whenthe accommodation knob is operated, the disc-shaped recording medium 200a is transported to the stocker 4 from the reproducing unit 3, and isaccommodated in the disc accommodation portion 181 that is disposed atthe accommodation/take-out position (see FIG. 81). When the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a transported from the reproducing unit 3 isaccommodated in the disc accommodating portion 181, the rotation of thedrive motor 110 is stopped.

Since the disc-shaped recording media 200 a accommodated in therespective disc accommodating portions 181 of the stocker 4 are placedon the shelves 178 of the stocker 4, they are movable in the directionin which they protrude from the disc accommodation portions 181 by, forexample, vibration produced due to upward and downward movement of thestocker 4 and external disturbance.

However, in the disc loading device 1, the dislodging preventingportions 14 h and 14 h at the supporting shaft 14 and the dislodgingpreventing portions 15 u and 15 v at the base chassis 15 are disposedclose to the outer peripheral edges of the disc-shaped recording media200 a accommodated in the disc accommodating portions 181 and 181 in therange in which the stocker 4 moves upward and downward (see FIGS. 82 and83). Therefore, the movement of the disc-shaped recording media 200 aother than the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a accommodated in thedisc accommodating portion 181 at the accommodation/take-out position inthe direction in which they protrude from the disc accommodatingportions 181 is restricted. Consequently, the disc-shaped recordingmedia 200 a are prevented from being dislodged from the respective discaccommodating portions 181.

The movement of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a accommodated inthe disc accommodating portion 181 at the accommodation/take-outposition in the direction in which it protrudes from the discaccommodating portion 181 is restricted by the stoppers 55 and 55supported by the movable levers 53 and 53. Therefore, it is possible toprevent the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a from becoming dislodgedfrom the disc accommodating portion 181.

Since the stoppers 55 and 55 are supported by the movable levers 53 and53 rotatably supported at the supporting chassis 14, when thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a is being transported between thereproducing unit 3 and the stocker 4, they come into sliding contactwith the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium200, and move away from each other. Thus, they do not hinder thetransportation of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a. Therefore, thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a can be properly transported.

When the rotation of the drive motor 110 is stopped, theascending/descending motor 168 is rotated next. When theascending/descending motor 168 is rotated, the rotary cams 176, 176, and176 rotate in synchronism, so that the positions of the guideprotrusions 179 a, 179 a, and 179 a of the stocker 4 with respect to thecam groves 177, 177, and 177 change, thereby causing the stocker 4 tomove upward or downward.

For example, when a predetermined disc-shaped recording medium 200 a tobe exchanged is accommodated in the uppermost disc accommodating portion181, the stocker 4 is moved to the lower end of the movement range inorder to position the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a right behindthe disc passage 182 (see FIG. 63).

When the stocker 4 is moved upwards or downwards, the disc-shapedrecording media 200 a accommodated in the respective disc accommodatingportions 181 are brought into sliding contact with the stoppers 55 and55 supported by the movable levers 53 and 53, and are disposed asfollows (see FIGS. 84 and 85).

When the stocker 4 is moved upwards or downwards, the outer peripheraledges of the disc-shaped recording media 200 a disposed at the lowerportions of the stoppers 55 and 55 come into sliding contact with theinclined guides 55 c and 55 c of the stoppers 55 and 55, and then withthe peripheral surfaces 55 a and 55 a (see FIG. 84). In contrast, whenthe stocker 4 is moved downwards, the outer peripheral edges of thedisc-shaped recording media 200 a disposed at the upper portions of thestoppers 55 and 55 come into sliding contact with the inclined guideportions 55 b and 55 b of the stoppers 55 and 55, and then with theperipheral surfaces 55 a and 55 a (see FIG. 85). Therefore, thedisc-shaped recording media 200 a are aligned by the peripheral surfaces55 a and 55 a of the stoppers 55 and 55.

Accordingly, in the disc loading device 1, when the stocker 4 is movedupward or downwards, the disc-shaped recording media 200 a accommodatedin the disc accommodating portions 181 are aligned by the stoppers 55and 55. Therefore, at the accommodation/take-out position, the outerperipheral edge of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a can bedisposed close to the holding groove 91 of the sixth feed roller 9 k andthe holding groove 10 l of the sixth feed member 10 k, so that thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a can be properly and reliably takenout of the disc accommodating portion 181.

When the stocker 4 is moved upwards or downwards, the disc-shapedrecording media 200 a are in sliding contact with the stoppers 55 and55. Therefore, the stoppers 55 and 55 do not hinder the upward anddownward movements of the stocker 4.

In the disc loading device 1, the substantially cylindrical stoppers 55and 55 are rotatably supported at the movable levers 53 and 53.Therefore, when the stoppers 55 and 55 contact the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 a that is being transported, the load on the transportationof the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is small, so that thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a can be smoothly accommodated in andtaken out of the disc accommodating portion 181.

When the stocker 4 is moved upwards or downwards to position a discaccommodating portion 181 accommodating a disc-shaped recording medium200 a to be exchanged at the accommodation/take-out position, therotation of the ascending/descending motor 168 is stopped.

When the rotation of the ascending/descending motor 168 is stopped, thedrive motor 110 is rotated again in order to transport the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a to the reproducing unit 3 from the stocker 4 bythe operation that is carried out when the eject knob is operated.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported to thereproducing unit 3, the rotation of the drive motor 110 is stopped.Then, the mode motor 61 is rotated in order to chuck the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a by the chucking pulley 56 and the disc table 108by the same operation that is performed when the reproduction knob isoperated (see FIG. 79).

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is chucked, the disc table108 is rotated by the rotation of the spindle motor and the opticalpickup 107 is operated in order to perform a reproducing operation onthe chucked disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.

(g) Reproducing Operation (Small-diameter Disc-shaped Recording Medium)

In the disc loading device 1, as described above, an information signalcan be reproduced from a small-diameter disc-shaped recording medium 200b having a diameter of, for example, approximately 8 cm. Hereunder, thereproducing operation that is carried out on the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b inserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a by thereproducing unit 3 will be described (see FIGS. 86 to 90).

When an information signal recorded on the disc-shaped recording medium200 b is to be reproduced, the reproduction knob (not shown) isoperated. When the reproduction knob is operated, the transportationmode is set. When the transportation mode is set, as described above,the insertion cut portion 75 a of the operating gear 74 is positioned tothe left of the supporting shaft 135 supported at the drive slider 25 ofthe first sliding means 24, so that the unlocked state is set, and therestricting pin 89 moves downward to set the unrestricted state (seeFIGS. 39 and 40).

When the transportation mode is set, the drive motor 110 is rotated inone direction. When the drive motor 110 is rotated in one direction, asdescribed above, the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 krotate counterclockwise in plan view.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is inserted from the discinsertion slot 2 a, as with the case in which the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 a is inserted, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b istransported towards the reproducing unit 3 while it is transferred tothe feed roller 9 a and the feed member 10 a, the feed roller 9 b andthe feed member 10 b, and the feed roller 9 c and the feed member 10 cin that order. However, since the diameter of the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b is smaller than that of the disc-shaped recording medium200 a, the sliding amounts of the feed rollers 9 a, 9 b, and 9 c and thefeed members 10 a, 10 b, and 10 c towards the left and right are smallerthan those for the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a (see FIG. 86).

As the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is transported, the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b comes intocontact with the first restricting roller 37 and the second restrictingroller 41 supported at the first slider 35 and the second slider 36 ofthe third sliding means 34, respectively, so that the first slider 35and the second slider 36 slide away from each other.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is transported to thereproducing unit 3 by the rotation of the second feed roller 9 c, thedrive motor 110 is stopped on the basis of, for example, a positiondetecting switch or a position detecting sensor (not shown) fordetecting the position of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b inorder to stop the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b at the reproducingunit.

When the drive slider 30 and the driven slider 31 slide towards eachother, the restricting protrusion 30 c of the drive slider 30 and therestricting portion 31 g of the driven slider 31 contact each other, andthe restricting portion 30 g of the drive slider 30 and the restrictingprotrusion 31 b of the driven slider 31 contact each other in order torestrict the rightward movement of the drive slider 30 and the leftwardmovement of the driven slider 31. In this case, the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b having a small diameter does not contact thefourth feed roller 9 g and the fourth feed member log. Therefore, thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b is not further pulled towards thestocker 4. Consequently, in the disc loading device 1, when transportingthe disc-shaped recording medium 200 b, the disc-shaped recording medium200 b is made to reach the reproducing unit 3 when the rightwardmovement of the drive slider 30 and the leftward movement of the drivenslider 31 are restricted in order to stop the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b at the reproducing unit 3.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is transported to thereproducing unit 3, the third feed roller 9 e, the third feed member 10e, the first restricting roller 37, and the second restricting roller 41are in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b (see FIG. 87).

When the rotation of the drive motor 110 has been stopped, the modemotor 61 is rotated. The mode motor 61 is rotated in the directioncausing the cam 67 to be rotated in the direction R2 shown in FIG. 39.

When the cam 67 is rotated by the rotation of the mode motor 61, thechucking mode is set as it is when the disc-shaped recording medium 200a is used in order to clamp and chuck the disc-shaped recording medium200 b by the table body 108 a of the disc table 108 and the stabilizer56 b of the chucking pulley 56. At this time, while the operationportion 60 is being engaged with the engaging lever 105 of the base unit102, the lifting portions 59 and 59 of the detaching member 57 supportedby the supporting chassis 14 are disposed under the flange 56 a of thechucking pulley 56.

The mode slider 61 continues rotating to further move the mode slider 91forward by the rotation of the cam 67 (see FIG. 88). As the mode slider91 moves forward, the supporting shaft 144 supporting the third feedroller 9 e comes into sliding contact with the second cam wall 97, andthe supporting shaft 164 supporting the fifth feed roller 9 i comes intosliding contact with the fourth cam wall 99. Here, at the same time, theoperation portion 128 of the operating lever 125 supported by thesubchassis 120 is pushed forward by the pushing rib 100.

When the supporting shaft 144 comes into sliding contact with the secondcam wall 97 as described above, the third feed roller 9 e separatesoutwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b (see FIGS. 89 and 90). When the operation portion 128 ofthe operating lever 125 is pushed by the pushing rib 100, the operatinglever 125 is rotated in the direction in which the operation portion 128moves substantially forward, and the supporting shaft 154 that isinserted and supported in the supporting hole 126 b is guided and movesleftwards in the guide slit 121 c. By the leftward movement of thesupporting shaft 154, the drive slider 44 of the fourth sliding means 43moves leftwards, and the driven slider 45 moves rightwards insynchronism.

When the driven slider 45 of the fourth sliding means 43 movesrightwards, the push protrusion 36 c of the second slider 36 of thethird sliding means 34 is pushed rightwards by the pushing protrusion 45c, so that the first slider 35 and the second slider 36 move away fromeach other in synchronism. Therefore, the first restricting roller 37and the second restricting roller 41 move away from each other andseparate outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b (see FIG. 89).

As described above, in moving the mode slider 91, as in the case inwhich the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a is chucked, when the otheroperating pin 67 b of the cam 67 is inserted in the operation groove 70e of the Geneva driven gear 69, at the initial and final stages, thesupporting shafts 144 and 164 are in sliding contact with the sharplyinclining front portion 97 c of the second cam wall 97 and the sharplyinclining front portion 99 i of the fourth cam wall 99, respectively. Atthe intermediate stage, the supporting shafts 144 and 164 are in slidingcontact with the gently inclining intermediate portion 97 d of thesecond cam wall 97 and the gently inclining intermediate portion 99 j ofthe fourth cam wall 99. Therefore, the load on the operating pin 67 b ofthe cam 67 is reduced, thereby making it possible to reduce the load onthe mode motor 61.

When the mode slider 91 is moved to the forward movement end, the discholding canceling mode is set, and the supporting protrusions 95 and 95of the mode slider 91 clamp the support portion 104 c of the base unit102 in the vertical direction as in the case in which a reproducingoperation is performed on the disc-shaped recording medium 200 a.Therefore, the base unit 102 is stably held at the upper rotational endin order to prevent movement of the surface of the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b when an information signal is being reproduced from thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b as described later. Consequently, itis possible to increase the reliability of the reproducing operation.

In the disc holding canceling mode, the third feed roller 9 e, the firstrestricting roller 37, the third feed member 10 e, and the secondrestricting roller 41 separate from the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b (see FIG. 89), so that thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b is in a state in which it can rotatesmoothly by the rotation of the disc table 108.

When the disc holding canceling mode is set, the disc table 108 isrotated by the rotation of the spindle motor and the optical pickup 107is operated in order to perform a reproducing operation on the chuckeddisc-shaped recording medium 200 b. In the reproducing operation, thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b is irradiated with a laser beamemitted from the light-emitting device (not shown) of the optical pickup107 through the objective lens 107 a. The returning light impinges uponthe light-receiving device (not shown) of the optical pickup 107 throughthe objective lens 107 a in order to reproduce an information signalrecorded on the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b.

In the state in which the information signal has been reproduced fromthe aforementioned disc-shaped recording medium 200 b, when the ejectknob (not shown) is operated, the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b istransported from the reproducing unit 3 to the disc insertion slot 2 ain the following way. Since the transporting operation of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b from the reproducing unit 3 to thedisc insertion slot 2 a is the reverse of the transporting operationfrom the disc insertion slot 2 a to the reproducing unit 3, thetransporting operation will be simply described.

When the eject knob is operated, the mode motor 61 rotates in adirection opposite to the aforementioned direction in order to rotatethe cam 67 in the direction R1 shown in FIG. 77. When the cam 67 rotatesin the direction R1 by the rotation of the mode motor 61, the modeslider 91 moves backwards, so that the supporting shaft 144 supportingthe third feed roller 9 e comes into sliding contact with the inclinedportion 97 a from the linear portion 97 b of the second cam wall 97, andthe supporting shaft 164 supporting the fifth feed roller 9 i comes intosliding contact with the intermediate linear portion 99 c from the backlinear portion 99 e of the fourth cam wall 99. Here, at the same time,the pushing operation performed on the operation portion 128 of theoperating lever 125 supported by the subchassis 120 by the pushing rib100 is cancelled, so that the drive slider 44 and the driven slider 45of the fourth sliding means 43 move towards each other. By moving thedrive slider 44 and the driven slider 45 towards each other, the pushingoperation performed on the push protrusion 36 c of the second slider 36by the pushing protrusion 45 c of the driven slider 45 is canceled.Therefore, the force of the spring 46 causes the first slider 35 and thesecond slider 36 of the third sliding means 34 to move towards eachother and the first restricting roller 37 and the second restrictingroller 41 to move towards each other. Therefore, the third feed roller 9e, the first restricting roller 37, the third feed member 10 e, and thesecond restricting roller 41 contact the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b, so that the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b is held by the third feed roller 9 e and the third feedmember 10 e.

At this time, the cam protruding pin 104 b of the base unit 102 moves inthe upper horizontal portion 68 c defining the groove 68 of the cam 67towards the inclined portion 68 b.

When the mode motor 61 further rotates, the cam protruding pin 104 b ofthe base unit 102 moves to the lower horizontal portion 68 a from theupper horizontal portion 68 c defining the groove 68 of the cam 67through the inclined portion 68 b. When the cam protruding pin 104 bmoves to the lower horizontal portion 68 a from the upper horizontalportion 68 c, the base unit 102 is rotated in the direction in which thedisc table 108 moves downwards, so that the disc table 108 is disposedbelow the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b.

As in the case in which the chucking of the disc-shaped recording medium200 a is canceled, the rotation of the base unit 102 causes the engagingportion 105 b of the engaging lever 105 to push the operation portion 60of the detaching member 57 downwards. Therefore, the detaching member 57rotates on the support pins 60 a and 60 a as fulcra in the direction inwhich the lifting portions 59 and 59 move upwards, so that the flange 56a of the chucking pulley 56 is lifted by the lifting portions 59 and 59.

By lifting the flange 56 a by the lifting portions 59 and 59, thechucking pulley 56 separates upwards from the disc table 108 in theupward direction. Accordingly, since the chucking pulley 56 forcefullyseparates from the disc table 108 by the detaching member 57 when thebase unit 102 rotates, it is possible to reliably unchuck thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b.

When the mode motor 61 continues rotating, the mode slider 91 moves tothe rearward movement end and the transportation mode is set. When thetransportation mode is set, as described above, the insertion cutportion 75 a of the operating gear 74 is disposed to the left of thesupporting shaft 135 supported at the drive slider 25 of the firstsliding means 24 in order to set the unlocked state and to set theunrestricted state by the downward movement of the restricting pin 89(see FIGS. 39 and 40).

When the transportation mode is set, the rotation of the mode motor 61is stopped, and the drive motor 110 rotates in the other direction inorder to rotate the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, 9 e, 9 g, 9 i, and 9 kclockwise again in plan view.

The disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is transferred from the thirdfeed roller 9 e and the third feed member 10 e to the first feed roller9 a and the first feed member 10 a via the second feed roller 9 c andthe second feed member 10 c, and protrudes forward from the discinsertion slot 2 a. By holding and pulling out the protrudingdisc-shaped recording medium 200 b, the disc-shaped recording medium 200b is taken out of the housing 2.

In the state in which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b istransported towards the stocker 4 from the disc insertion slot 2 a, whenthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 bthat is being transported contacts the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, and 9 e,the contact of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is a load on therotations of the feed rollers 9 a, 9 b, and 9 c, so that the followingtorques are generated. The direction of the torques that are generatedat the rotary lever 131 of the first rotary mechanism 129 and the firstrotary lever 138 and the second rotary lever 140 of the second rotarymechanism 136 is counterclockwise in plan view. Therefore, by thetorques, moving forces are applied to the first feed roller 9 a, thesecond feed roller 9 c, and the third feed roller 9 e in a direction inwhich they move towards the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b when the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b istransported towards the stocker 4 from the disc insertion slot 2 a.

In the state in which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b istransported towards the disc insertion slot 2 a from the stocker 4, whenthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 bthat is being transported contacts the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, and 9 e,the contact of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is a load on therotations of the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, and 9 e, so that the followingtorques are generated. The direction of the torques is opposite to thosementioned above. Therefore, by the torques, moving forces are applied tothe first feed roller 9 a, the second feed roller 9 c, and the thirdfeed roller 9 e in a direction in which they move away from the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b.

In the disc loading device 1, as in the case in which the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a is transported, the first transmission gears 133and 142, operating as reduction gears, of the respective rotarymechanisms 129 and 136 are used to reduce the rotational speeds of thefeed rollers 9 a, 9 c, and 9 e in order to reduce the torques generatedwhen the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b contacts the feed rollers 9a, 9 c, and 9 e.

The biasing spring 147 for pushing the feed rollers 9 c and 9 e at thesecond rotary mechanism 136 against the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b that is being transported is used togenerate a predetermined friction force between the feed rollers 9 c and9 e and the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b.

(h) Transporting Operation When Disc Adapter Is Used

In the disc loading device 1, the small-diameter disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b mounted to a disc adapter 185 is transported to thereproducing unit 3 in order to allow an information signal to bereproduced from the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b.

The disc adapter 185 comprises, for example, a flat substantiallyannular body 186 and holders 187, 187, and 187 that are spaced apart atan equal interval along the inner periphery of the body 186 and that canbe elastically displaced in radial directions of the disc adapter 185with respect to the body 186 (see FIG. 91). The holders 187, 187, and187 are biased towards the center of the disc adapter 185 with respectto the body 186.

Inwardly protruding holding portions 187 a, 187 b, and 187 b aredisposed at each holder 187. The holding portion 187 a and the holdingportions 187 b and 187 b of each holder 187 are separated in thevertical direction. The holding portions 187 b and 187 b of each holder187 are spaced apart in the peripheral direction of the disc adapter185.

The disc adapter 185 has, for example, an outside diameter of 12 cm andan inside diameter of 8 cm.

The disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is mounted to the disc adapter185 by being clamped between the holding portions 187 a, 187 a, and 187a and the holding portions 187 b, and is inserted from the discinsertion slot 2 a. When the disc adapter 185 to which the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b is mounted is inserted from the disc insertionslot 2 a, by performing the same operation as that performed when thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 a is transported to the reproducingunit 3 from the disc insertion slot 2 a (see FIGS. 47 to 53 and FIGS. 72to 78), the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b is transported to thereproducing unit 3, and is chucked by the chucking pulley 56 and thedisc table 108 while being mounted to the disc adapter 185 (see FIG.92). When the disc adapter 185 to which the disc-shaped recording medium200 b is mounted is inserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a, the outerperipheral surface of the disc adapter 185 pushes the feed rollers 9 a,9 c, and 9 e and the corresponding feed members 10 a, 10 c, and 10 e inthat order. By the rotation of the feed rollers 9 a, 9 c, and 9 e, thedisc adapter 185 to which the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b ismounted is pulled into the housing 2.

When the disc-shaped recording medium 200 b mounted to the disc adapter185 is chucked, the disc table 108 rotates by the rotation of thespindle motor, and the optical pickup 107 operates, so that areproducing operation is performed on the chucked disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b. The disc-shaped recording medium 200 b rotates with thedisc adapter 185.

In the state in which the reproduction of an information signal from thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b is completed, when the eject knob(not shown) is operated, the disc adapter 185 to which the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b is mounted is transported to the disc insertionslot 2 a by the same operation as that performed when the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 a is transported to the disc insertion slot 2 afrom the reproducing unit 3.

In the state in which the disc adapter 185 to which the disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b is mounted protrudes forwardly from the discinsertion slot 2 a, by holding and pulling out the disc adapter 185, thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b can be taken out of the housing 2.

The transporting operation of the disc adapter 185 to which thedisc-shaped recording medium 200 b is mounted is described above. Whenthe disc adapter 185 to which a disc-shaped recording medium 200 b isnot mounted is accidentally inserted from the disc insertion slot 2 a,the following operations are carried out.

When the disc adapter 185 is transported to the reproducing unit 3, therotation of the drive motor 110 is stopped, and then the mode motor 61is rotated to rotate the base unit 102. Since the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200 b is not mounted to the disc adapter 185, chucking is notcarried out, so that the body 108 a of the disc table 108 and thestabilizer 56 b of the chucking pulley 56 are superimposed upon eachother.

The mode motor 61 continues rotating, causing the third feed roller 9 e,the fourth feed roller 9 g, the first restricting roller 37, the thirdfeed member 10 e, the fourth feed member 10 g, and the secondrestricting roller 41 to separate from the outer peripheral surface ofthe disc adapter 185. Therefore, since the holding operation on the discadapter 185 is cancelled, the disc adapter 185 falls (see FIG. 93). Atthis time, the first restricting roller 37 is disposed at the leftwardmovement end, so that the inner peripheral portion of the disc adapter185 that has fallen contacts the upper portion of the base unit 102, andthe outer peripheral portion of the disc adapter 185 contacts the uppersurface of the receiving portion 38 c of the receiving member 38disposed at the lower side of the first restricting roller 37. As aresult, the disc adapter 185 is tilted (see FIG. 93).

Next, the driving of the optical pickup 107 is started. Since adisc-shaped recording medium 200 b does not exist, an operation error isdetected, so that the ejection operation is immediately started.

When the ejection operation is started, the rotation of the mode motor61 causes the mode slider 91 to move backwards, so that the second feedroller 9 c, the third feed roller 9 e, the fourth feed roller 9 g, thefifth feed roller 9 i, the sixth feed roller 9 k and the firstrestricting roller 37 and the respective second feed member 10 c, thirdfeed member 10 e, fourth feed member 10 g, fifth feed member 10 i, sixthfeed member 10 k, and second restricting roller 41 move towards eachother.

At this time, the outer peripheral edge of the disc adapter 185 comesinto sliding contact with the inclined portion 38 b from the receivingportion 38 c of the receiving member 38 (see FIG. 94), and into slidingcontact with the first restricting roller 37 from the inclined portion38 b (see FIG. 95). When the outer peripheral surface of the discadapter 185 comes into sliding contact with the first restricting roller37, the outer peripheral portion of the disc adapter 185 is insertedinto the holding grooves 9 f, 9 h, 10 f, and 10 h of the respectivethird feed roller 9 e, fourth feed roller 9 g, third feed member 10 e,and fourth feed member 10 g, so that the disc adapter 185 is in ahorizontal state and is held again by the third feed roller 9 e, thefourth feed roller 9 g, the third feed member 10 e, and the fourth feedmember 10 g.

The mode motor 61 continues rotating, causing the chucking pulley 56 andthe disc table 108 to separate from each other in the vertical directionand the mode slider 91 to move to the rearward movement end in order toset the transportation mode. When the transportation mode is set, asdescribed above, the insertion cut portion 75 a of the operation gear 74is disposed to the left of the supporting shaft 135 supported at thedrive slider 25 of the first sliding means 24 in order to set theunlocked state and to set the unrestricted state by the downwardmovement of the restricting pin 89 (see FIGS. 39 and 40).

When the transportation mode is set, the rotation of the mode motor 61is stopped, and the drive motor 110 rotates in the other direction, sothat the disc adapter 185 is transferred from the fourth feed roller 9 gand the fourth feed member 10 g to the first feed roller 9 a and thefirst feed member 10 a via the third feed roller 9 e and the third feedmember 10 e, and the second feed roller 9 c and the second feed member10 c, and protrudes forwardly from the disc insertion slot 2 a. Byholding and pulling out the protruding disc adapter 185, the discadapter 185 can be taken out of the housing 2.

As described above, when the disc adapter 185 to which a disc-shapedrecording medium 200 b is not mounted is accidentally inserted from thedisc insertion slot 2 a, the disc adapter 185 that has fallen isreceived by the receiving member 38. By the ejection operation, the discadapter 185 is held by the feed rollers 9 and 9 and the feed members 10and 10. Therefore, the disc adapter 185 that has fallen as a result ofbeing accidentally inserted can be reliably ejected.

Hereunder, the materials of the feed rollers 9 and feed members 10 willbe described.

The feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 are such that at leastportions thereof that come into contact with the disc-shaped recordingmedium 200, for example, the holding grooves 9 b, 9 d, 9 f, 9 h, 9 j, 9l, 10 b, 10 d, 10 f, 10 h, 10 j, and 10 l are formed of, for examplebutyl rubber.

Examples of usable materials other than butyl rubber for the feedrollers 9 and the feed members 10 are urethane rubber, silicon rubber,CR (Chloroprene Rubber), EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Polymethylene)rubber, and elastomer.

In general, urethane rubber has the advantage that it does not easilylose its shape, but the disadvantage that it is expensive. Since, ingeneral, urethane rubber has high affinity to polycarbonate, which isused as a material of the disc-shaped recording medium, it tends toadhere to the disc-shaped recording medium.

In general, silicon rubber has the advantage that it does not easilylose its shape, but the disadvantages that it is expensive and is easilycracked.

In general, CR rubber has the advantage that it is low in cost, but thedisadvantages that it tends to wear and to deteriorate with age.

In general, EPDM rubber has the advantages that it is low in cost andtends to absorb oil adhered to a disc-shaped recording medium due to itshigh oil absorption capability, but the disadvantage that it tends towear.

In general, elastomer has the advantage that it allows integral moldingof the feed rollers or the feed members with shafts, and thedisadvantage that it tends to wear.

On the other hand, in general, butyl rubber has the advantage that it islow in cost in addition to having the advantages that it does not easilyadhere to a disc-shaped recording medium due to its low affinity topolycarbonate, which is a material of the disc-shaped recording medium,and that it provides high transporting force with respect to thedisc-shaped recording medium due to its high viscosity and lowresilience. Therefore, butyl rubber is the most desirable material forthe feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10.

FIG. 96 is a table of the resiliences of various types of butyl rubber.In the figure, the term “material name” refers to the various types ofbutyl rubber, and each material name is a product name of YamauchiCorporation. The resiliences of the butyl rubbers are equal to or lessthan approximately 30%. Excluding some of the butyl rubbers, theresiliences are low in the range of from 10% to 19%.

FIG. 97 shows a graph and a table of the dependency of the hardness ofvarious materials on temperature. In the figure, “LBT-501” and “CC-40”refer to butyl rubbers, “EPDM 50°” refers to EPDM rubber, and “SI-50”refers to silicon rubber.

As shown in FIG. 97, the butyl rubbers have hardnesses that change withtemperature, and tend to harden at low temperature. Therefore, when theyare used at low temperature, the transportation force on a disc-shapedrecording medium may be reduced.

Therefore, when the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 are formed ofbutyl rubber, a proper transportation force can be provided with respectto a disc-shaped recording medium 200, for example, by using varioustypes of butyl rubber having a hardness equal to or less than apredetermined value even at low temperature, by forming the holdinggrooves of the feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 with shapes havinga large contact area with respect to the disc-shaped recording medium,and by using feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 having a high springforce for pushing the disc-shaped recording medium 200.

FIGS. 98 and 99 are graphs of the dependency of the hardness of varioustypes of butyl rubber (all of them being products of YamauchiCorporation) on temperature. As shown in FIGS. 98 and 99, the varioustypes of butyl rubber have different hardnesses. Considering, forexample, the temperature condition of use of the disc loading device 1,an optimal butyl rubber can be selected.

Although examples in which butyl rubber, urethane rubber, siliconrubber, CR rubber, EPDM rubber, and elastomer are used as material ofthe feed rollers 9 and the feed members 10 are given, the feed walls 11,12, and 13 may be formed of any of these materials.

The specific forms and structures of the parts in the embodiment areonly some of the embodied forms for carrying out the present invention,so that they are not to be interpreted as limiting the technical scopeof the present invention.

As is clear from the foregoing description, the disc loading device ofthe present invention transports and loads a disc-shaped recordingmedium inserted from the disc insertion slot, and comprises firsttransporting means and second transporting means for transporting thedisc-shaped recording medium by being disposed on opposite sides of thedisc-shaped recording medium that is being transported and being pushedagainst the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording mediumfrom opposite sides. The first transporting means comprises a pluralityof feed rollers disposed apart from each other along a transportationpath of the disc-shaped recording medium for transporting thedisc-shaped recording medium while transferring it by rollingindependently and successively on the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium.

Therefore, it is possible to transport the disc-shaped recording mediumwithout using means, such as a disc tray, for placing and transportingthe disc-shaped recording medium, so that the usability is increased.

By disposing the required number of feed rollers, it is possible tofreely set the transportation stroke and to increase design freedom. Inthe disc loading device which comprises a stocker in addition to areproducing unit and which functions as a disc changer, since it isnecessary to transport the disc-shaped recording medium between thereproducing unit and the stocker and a long transportation stroke isrequired, the use of feed rollers is very effective in increasing designfreedom.

Since the disc-shaped recording medium is transported by pushing thefirst transporting means and the second transporting means against theouter peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium, it ispossible to prevent damage to a recording surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium.

In the present invention, the second transporting means may comprise aplurality of substantially cylindrical or columnar feed members whichare disposed apart from each other in a transportation direction of thedisc-shaped recording medium and which are successively pushed againstthe outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium that isto be transported. The number of feed members and that of the feedrollers are the same. Since the feed rollers and feed members, disposedon opposite sides of the disc-shaped recording medium that is beingtransported, are movable in synchronism away from the outer peripheralsurface of the disc-shaped recording medium that is being transported,the load exerted upon the disc-shaped recording medium by the feedrollers and the feed members is stabilized, and the transportingoperation can be more easily controlled.

In the present invention, since the feed members may be rotatable in thedirection in which their outer peripheral surfaces roll on the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium, it is possibleto stably and reliably transport the disc-shaped recording medium.

In the present invention, since at least a portion of each feed rollerthat contacts the disc-shaped recording medium may be formed of butylrubber, it is possible to provide proper transporting force with respectto the disc-shaped recording medium.

In the present invention, since at least a portion of each feed memberthat contacts the disc-shaped recording medium may be formed of butylrubber, it is possible to provide proper transporting force with respectto the disc-shaped recording medium.

As is clear from the foregoing description, the disc loading device ofthe present invention transports the disc-shaped recording mediuminserted from the disc insertion slot in a transportation mode among aplurality of operation modes and loads it. The disc loading devicecomprises first transporting means, second transporting means, and asupporting chassis. The first and second transporting means disposed onopposite sides of the disc-shaped recording medium that is beingtransported transport the disc-shaped recording medium by being pushedagainst the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped recording mediumfrom the opposite sides. The supporting chassis is disposed so as to beseparated in the thickness direction of the disc-shaped recording mediumthat is being transported. The first transporting means comprises aplurality of feed rollers which are disposed apart from each other alonga transportation path of the disc-shaped recording medium and whichtransport the disc-shaped recording medium while transferring it byrolling independently and successively on the outer peripheral surfaceof the disc-shaped recording medium. In addition, a plurality of slidersand restricting means are provided. The sliders support the feedrollers, are movably supported at the supporting chassis, and move thefeed rollers away from the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shapedrecording medium that is being transported. In the operation modes otherthan the transportation mode, the restricting means restricts themovement of the slider supporting the feed roller that is disposedclosest to the disc insertion slot.

Therefore, in the operation modes other than the transportation mode, itis possible to reliably prevent misinsertion of the disc-shapedrecording medium from the disc insertion slot.

In the present invention, since a restricting pin for closing a portionof the disc insertion slot when the restricting means restricts themovement of the slider supporting the feed roller disposed closest tothe disc insertion slot may be provided, insertion of the outerperipheral portion of a disc-shaped recording medium from the discinsertion slot is prevented, so that, even if the disc-shaped recordingmedium exists near the disc insertion slot, it is possible to preventcontact between the disc-shaped recording media.

1. A disc transporting device comprising: first transporting meanscomprising a plurality of rollers disposed apart from each other along atransportation path of a disc-shaped recording medium for transportingthe disc-shaped recording medium while transferring the disc-shapedrecording medium by independently and successively rolling on the outerperipheral surface of the disc-shaped recording medium; and secondtransporting means disposed along the transportation path for nipping,together with the first transporting means, the disc-shaped recordingmedium, the first transporting means and the second transporting meansbeing disposed on opposite sides of the disc-shaped recording mediumthat is being transported.
 2. The disc transporting device according toclaim 1, wherein the second transporting means comprises the same numberof a plurality of feed members as the rollers, the feed members beingcylindrical or columnar, being disposed apart from each other in atransportation direction of the disc-shaped recording medium, andtransporting the disc-shaped recording medium while being in synchronismwith the rollers disposed opposite to the feed members with thedisc-shaped recording medium that is being transported being disposedtherebetween and while contacting the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium.
 3. The disc transporting device accordingto claim 2, wherein the feed members are rotatable in a direction inwhich the feed members roll on the outer peripheral surface of thedisc-shaped recording medium.
 4. The disc transporting device accordingto claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each roller that comes intocontact with the disc-shaped recording medium is formed of butyl rubber.5. The disc transporting device according to claim 2, wherein at least aportion of each feed member that comes into contact with the disc-shapedrecording medium is formed of butyl rubber.
 6. The disc transportingdevice according to claim 1, further comprising a chassis, a pluralityof sliders, and restricting means, the chassis being disposed so as tobe separated in the thickness direction of the disc-shaped recordingmedium that is being transported, the plurality of sliders supportingthe plurality of rollers, being movably supported by the chassis, andmoving the rollers away from the transportation path of the disc-shapedrecording medium, and the restricting means restricting the movement ofthe slider supporting the roller that is disposed closest to a discinsertion slot among the plurality of rollers.
 7. The disc transportingdevice according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of operation modesincluding at least a transportation mode for transporting thedisc-shaped recording medium is provided, and wherein, in the operationmode or modes other than the transportation mode, the restricting meansrestricts the movement of the slider supporting the roller disposedclosest to the disc insertion slot among the plurality of rollers. 8.The disc transporting device according to claim 6, further comprising arestricting pin for closing a portion of the disc insertion slot whenthe restricting means restricts the movement of the slider supportingthe roller disposed closest to the disc insertion slot among theplurality of rollers.
 9. The disc transporting device according to claim7, further comprising a restricting pin for closing a portion of thedisc insertion slot when the restricting means restricts the movement ofthe slider supporting the roller disposed closest to the disc insertionslot among the plurality of rollers.